Tonic@Bankhouse
The UK’s first LGBTQ+ affirming retirement community!
*ALL APARTMENTS AT TONIC@BANKHOUSE ARE NOW OCCUPIED OR RESERVED. THIS MEANS WE HAVE NO AVAILABLE APARTMENTS FOR SHARED OWNERSHIP OR RENT AND VIEWINGS ARE CLOSED.
Tonic@Bankhouse is the UK’s first LGBTQ+ affirming retirement community and Tonic’s very first community. Our approach to services and support is not just “LGBTQ+ friendly” but genuinely affirming of the lives, histories, needs and desires of lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans, queer, intersex people and other identities in our community. The term does not imply exclusion of those who do not identify as LGBTQ+, but actively values those who respect and celebrate LGBTQ+ people.
After securing a £5.7m loan in Spring 2021 from the Mayor of London, the GLA Community Housing Fund enabled the purchase of 19 properties at Bankhouse, a Riverside older living scheme in Vauxhall, Lambeth. Sales for 1 and 2 bedroom shared ownership homes began in Summer 2021 and rentals launched in Autumn 2024. This is a major milestone for LGBTQ+ housing as there has been no LGBTQ+ affirming provision with care in the UK previously, despite there being a clearly defined need and demand from within the LGBTQ+ community.
Tonic@Bankhouse creates a unique offering of housing with care that celebrates LGBTQ+ identities with the community at the very heart of their homes. We are co-creating events and activities with residents based on their interests, including collaborations with other LGBTQ+ organisations and support providers.
Bankhouse was designed by world-renowned architects Foster + Partners, and consists of high-quality one and two-bedroom homes, most with balconies with stunning views. An on-site restaurant, beautiful community lounge overlooking the River Thames, a floating garden and a roof terrace with incredible views of central London.
TONIC HOUSING AND ARCO
In May 2022, we received our ARCO (Associated Retirement Community Operators) Approved Operator status.
Tonic@Bankhouse is our first retirement community and as an Approved Operator, we aim to comply with the ARCO Consumer Code, which sets standards for the retirement community sector.
It helps ensure that we provide a trusted, fair and high-quality service to those living in, and considering moving to, our retirement community. For more details please visit arcouk.org/arco-consumer-code.
MARCH 2021 FUNDING ANNOUNCEMENT QUOTES
“We are making history today, realising a long held dream to provide a safe place for older LGBT+ people to live well, in a community where they can be themselves and enjoy their later life. We applaud the Mayor of London for recognising and supporting the needs of older LGBT+ Londoners.
We intend this to be the first of many Tonic retirement communities, achieved by working in partnership in London and other cities. These first homes, that are already built and currently empty, will enable people who need and want this accommodation to have the benefit of it immediately. Working with One Housing, we can compliment the excellent care services that they provide for residents in the scheme. We intend that future Tonic schemes will provide a range of tenures directly, created through further acquisitions or new developments. Bankhouse is an important milestone in Tonic’s evolution. We’re so excited to get our future residents settled in their new homes and living in our community. Moving in is just the beginning!”
“I am proud to support Tonic in creating the UK’s first LGBTQ+ retirement community. London is an open, diverse, inclusive city and I’m delighted to see these long-held plans come to fruition with the help of this loan and my Community-led Housing Hub.
Older Londoners deserve to be able to enjoy their later years in comfort and security, surrounded by a thriving, supportive community. I look forward to seeing this realised at Bankhouse and to supporting Tonic’s work to establish further LGBTQ+ affirming developments in the years to come.”
“We are delighted to be working alongside Tonic Housing and the GLA to provide homes for older LGBT+ people. We have a long history of investing in homes and communities and providing assisted living to older people. We look forward to welcoming new LGBT+ customers to Bankhouse where they’ll be able to enjoy all the advantages of independent living with on-site care and support when they need it.”
“I am delighted to see that such an innovative and positive new development for older LGBTQ+ people is happening here in Lambeth. Our borough is one that is truly diverse – we are really fortunate to have such a strong and thriving LGBTQ+ community living, working and visiting Lambeth. I want to thank the Tonic Housing team for their efforts, as well as our own council officers for working so hard together with One Housing colleagues to turn vision into reality. Key to this too has been the strong support from the Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, and his GLA team in providing funding to get the scheme well and truly off the ground. I look forward to visiting the site soon – and welcoming the new Tonic@Bankhouse LGBTQ+ residents to their new homes, here in Lambeth.”