ELDERLY residents have lost a valued link to the outside work following the closure of St Leonard's Day Centre, in Marston Green.
The Elmdon Road facility, which opened in the 1990s, had provided meals and a wide variety of entertainment to the pensioners who attended, many of whom had disabilities or lived alone.
But the day centre's future was thrown into doubt following Solihull Council's decision to cut funding.
When the news broke in the summer of 2016, managers warned that the loss of revenue meant a stark choice between imposing a daily charge which many of the users would be simply unable to afford or closing for good.
Less than 18 months on, St Leonard's said it had been left with no alternative but to shut its doors for a final time. A Christmas party was organised to give staff and users the opportunity to say goodbye.
A Solihull Council spokesman said: "The St Leonard's Day Centre and its manager, Rick Smallwood, have over the years given outstanding service to a wide community covering Solihull and Birmingham.
"We are sad to hear that Rick has decided to close, especially after all the support Solihull Council has provided over the years, more recently to help him plan for the future of the day centre.
"We will support Solihull residents who use St Leonard's to determine exactly what kind of day opportunities they need and how they can access them."
Other Side of Solihull has contacted borough councillors for comment.
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