Case Studies - Washington Old Hall is on the up!
The brief was to install a platform lift that would allow visitors with mobility problems access to the different levels of Washington Old Hall’s garden and grounds.
Washington Old Hall is a delightful 17th-century stone-built manor house, which incorporates parts of the original medieval home of George Washington’s direct ancestors. It is from here that the family took the surname of 'Washington'.
Over the years, Washington Old Hall has become a popular wedding destination and has been voted one of England’s most romantic venues. The tranquil Jacobean garden leads to the Nuttery, a wildflower nut orchard. The gardens are split over two levels.
In order to ensure customer satisfaction for the current volume of more than 17,000 visitors a year, the staff and Friends of Washington Old Hall decided to improve access to the gardens and grounds so that they could become accessible to all. In conjunction with The Friends of Washington Old Hall, an ‘Access Project’ was therefore launched to raise funds for a platform lift that was compliant with the Disability Discrimination Act (DDA).
The National Trust approached the Platform Lift Company directly to discuss the installation of an external platform lift that would be the first of its kind in a National Trust property.
The Platform Lift Company installed a Type B platform lift which is mainly for external applications but can be installed internally. It is a simple screw and nut driven lifting platform which does not require a pit as the unit comes complete with ramp, therefore requiring only a short installation time. It has a total lifting height of a maximum of 2 metres. With its open design and saloon style swing back doors, covered by toughened and laminated glazed panels, the lift fits well in most environments. Available in a range of colours, it provides a stylish and reliable platform lift solution.
Washington Old Hall now boasts a user–operated platform lift which, combined with the improved paved surfacing of the lower ‘formal’ garden, makes the property easily accessible. This accessibility has been positively received by all visitors. Wheelchair and mobility scooter users, together with families with children in pushchairs have all welcomed the chance to make their way around the gardens.
“We always want all our visitors to enjoy as much of the site as possible and the lift helps us with this ambition. We believe that we have the first external garden lift to be installed at a National Trust property, a proud claim by the ancestral home of George Washington,” comments Nick Dolan, Property Manager and Kate Gardner, House Manager.
For more information visit: www.platformliftco.co.uk
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