An MP has launched a final bid to save an historic rest home from closure.

Des Turner has written an open letter to the managing director of Bovis Retirement Homes appealing to his "generosity and humanity" to save the French Convalescent Home at Brighton.

He has asked Jim Ditheridge to "consider making a loss" by selling the building to the home's managers who want to keep it open.

The company is in the process of buying the Kemp Town building from its French trustees. It originally planned to bulldoze the 101-year-old structure and put up a block of apartments in its place.

The scheme was blocked in January after the structure was given listed building status. However, the sale is still going through with a condition that the building's elderly residents must move out.About 30 have already gone.

Mr Turner, who represents Kemp Town, said he believed Bovis planned to sell the building to a company which would convert it into apartments.

In the letter to Mr Ditheridge he adds: "I think that this will prove much more difficult to do than you currently think.

"I think that it is highly unlikely under the circumstances that any prospective purchaser will negotiate on any other basisthan exchange subject to planning consent.

"Given the description of the building and its internal features, listed building consent would be required for conversion and I very much doubt whether it will be forthcoming.

"I therefore suspect that the building could stand empty for a long time, benefiting nobody. I am therefore appealing to you to begin negotiation now with a charity with a view to reopening it as a residential care and nursing home.

"I am sure you realise that such a proposal would not be financially viable at the price that you paid for it and I am asking you to consider making a loss."

Ewan Paterson, who was a care worker at the home for three years before taking redundancy last week, said:

"Everybody has been given their final notices and there are probably less than half a dozen residents there now as most of them have gone to other homes in the area."

Mr Paterson, 34, of Baden Road, Brighton, added: "It's a nice gesture by Mr Turner but I think it is too late. You can't keep moving elderly people back and forth."

Nobody from Bovis was available for comment yesterday.

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