Bay View House, the care home in the old Waverley and Rex Hotel on Whitley Bay's Promenade, has marked its first year with cake and a live singer.

Bay View House, the care home in the former Rex Hotel on Whitley Bay’s Promenade, has celebrated its first birthday, a year after it opened following a £12m renovation by owner Prestwick Care Group.

The building went up in 1907 as The Waverley Hotel and later became the Rex Hotel. Prestwick Care says on its Bay View House page that the Rex Ballroom “was a must-visit venue for those who wanted to be ‘seen’”, and lists Billy Connolly, Status Quo, Gerry Rafferty and Lindisfarne among the acts it hosted.

Valerie Brisbane at the head of the table

At the centre of the party was 86-year-old Valerie Brisbane, one of the first residents to move in when the home opened. The home invited her to blow out the candle on the birthday cake; in the photograph above, administrator Suzanne Hughes leans in to help while Valerie looks on.

Valerie is a keen fan of the late singer and actor Mario Lanza, and she and the home’s 30 other residents were treated to a live set from Rat Pack-style singer John Fletcher.

John Fletcher in a dinner jacket and bow tie singing into a microphone, with residents seated in armchairs by the sea-facing windows
Singer John Fletcher performs for residents at the Bay View House birthday party. Photo: supplied by Prestwick Care

Bunty Malhotra, chief executive of Malhotra Group PLC, which owns Prestwick Care, said: “It has been one of my proudest achievements to bring this magnificent building back to life and to create a wonderful home for Valerie and all our other residents.”

In its own account of the first year, Prestwick Care said the party was attended by residents, families and colleagues. A spokesperson for the company said: “We are incredibly proud of everything that has been achieved during our first year at Bay View House. Our residents are at the heart of everything we do, and it has been fantastic to see friendships flourish, families feel welcomed and our team continue to deliver outstanding care every day.”

Six members of staff standing together in front of gold, black and silver balloons in the home's reception, with a framed picture of the Spanish City dome on the wall
Staff at the Bay View House first birthday celebration. Photo: supplied by Prestwick Care

What the home offers

Bay View House has 86 beds and provides residential care, general nursing, dementia residential care and dementia nursing. There are four penthouse suites for residents who want care while keeping as much independence as possible.

Inside there is a bar, a cinema room, a restaurant, a hair salon, and lounges and family rooms for social events or quiet time. Many of the bedrooms and communal rooms look straight out over the sea front, with St Mary’s Lighthouse to the north and Cullercoats to the south. Residents and visitors can also sit out in the courtyards or on a secure fourth-floor roof terrace.

A paved roof terrace with a circular wooden bench around a planter, glass balustrade and the North Sea beyond under a blue sky
The roof terrace at Bay View House, looking out to sea. Photo: supplied by Prestwick Care

Prestwick Care has been running care services in the North East for more than 35 years.

What it means for you

If you are looking at care for a relative in Whitley Bay, Bay View House is on the Promenade, NE26 2RL. The home can be reached on 0191 500 3600 or at bayview@prestwickcare.co.uk, and visits can be arranged through the Prestwick Care website.