Case Studies - The Casino at The Empire, Leicester Square
The Casino at The Empire, Leicester Square has raised its stakes by installing platform lifts for the mobility impaired.
The Casino at The Empire has brought a touch of Vegas to the heart of London and has hit the jackpot with its disability access. Four platform lifts have been installed and strategically placed to give mobility impaired customers access to all its facilities.
As the casino is situated on two floors, it was imperative that the venue had disabled access to allow visitors to enjoy its stylish restaurants, lively bars and state–of-the-art electronic games. Due to its fantastic facilities and location, The Casino at The Empire is also marketing itself as an ideal venue for corporate and private events, which again heightened the need to provide access for all.
With its swanky retro décor, created by one of the top casino interior designers from Las Vegas, Paul Steelman Design, the platform lifts also had to complement the glitzy image of the casino.
“Although the building is in a conservation area, only the façade is protected, which enabled the interior to be completely stripped back to the original brickwork. Therefore, when it came to the refurbishment of the casino the design of the platform lifts didn’t have to be architecturally sensitive to the heritage of the building but they still had to be aesthetically acceptable,” says Shaun Doyle, SDM Ltd’s Project Manager.
As a cost-effective solution, the interior designer and architects for this refurbishment opted for an easy to install platform lift which didn’t require major extensive building work. The Type A platform lift, supplied by The Platform Lift Company, provided an ideal solution. This DDA compliant platform lift is unique as it’s freestanding and doesn’t require a machine room. As this type of platform lift comes with its own shaft it eliminated the need to dig down into the foundations to create a pit. Instead the glazed or one hour fire-rated shafts could be simply erected by just cutting a 50mm pit in the floor.
With their glazed shaft and glass fronted doors which feature The Casino at The Empire’s logo, the platform lifts have created a light and non-claustrophobic atmosphere for its users. Their contemporary appearance has helped the platform lifts blend into the interior without appearing obtrusive.
“Removing the architectural barriers to enable more buildings to become DDA compliant is a challenge especially when the interior has a particular style or the building is listed. However, designs are now becoming more elegant and tasteful so that they can become a feature rather than an unsightly object,” comments Sean O’Sullivan, Managing Director of the Platform Lift Company.
The Casino at The Empire features four platform lifts and an independent step lift which has achieved access for all, including its staff. For a venue which promises to treat every guest as a VIP, the modern platform lifts will help enhance the experience for the disability impaired.
For more information visit: www.platformliftco.co.uk
Telephone: +44 (0) 1256 896000