Thirty-four to lose their jobs

The St Anna Foundation, which runs the Annahof Recuperation Centre in Unterägeri, has been running at a deficit for two years. As a result, it is to be closed for four years and new premises built, though this also means 34 employees will lose their jobs.
 
Hugo Berchthold, the president of the foundation, said that, with the current state of the rooms on offer, the business could just not keep afloat as a private business.
 
The premises were actually built in the Thirties and certain improvements were made in 2008, though a project to move to neighbouring Oberägeri came to nothing.
 
Hence it was decided to look at a totally new building for the current site. While this has been welcomed by the local population, the foundation's financial problems persisted. "We had to accept we could not finance the new building entirely from our own funds and so we looked for a private investor," explained Berchtold.
Fortunately they were able to find one in the Bonainvest company of Solothurn. This business specialises in development of types of accommodation for mixed use and has expressed its intention to build new premises on the current site. However, this will take four years.
 
As a result, taking into account the poor financial situation of the foundation, it has been decided to close the Annahof with effect from the end of January, with the loss of 34 jobs.
 
It should be emphasised that the tenants of three buildings providing accommodation for old people on the site are not affected and the foundation will continue to provide occupants with medical care, meals and cleaning services.
 
Could not all this have been prevented had the board of the foundation been more alert to its precarious financial circumstances? "All this is academic now," said Berchthold. "Suffice it to say the board did their best to keep it all going."
 
With the investment from Bonainvest, the foundation hopes it has found the right partner to be able to run the premises on a profitable basis. This is not the foremost among Berchthold's current thoughts, however. He is greatly concerned about the employees having to be dismissed and is in contact with the appropriate cantonal authorities as well as other businesses in health and catering in the hope that alternative work can be found for them.