From Knights in Shining Armour to Beautiful Boudoirs - Tuesday, July 4th, 2006
Many of the UK’s historical sites face challenges in making their attractions accessible to disabled users. Whilst it may not be feasible to give easy access to all areas the opening up of any aspect is to be applauded. Some sites shy away from making alterations for financial reasons, others realise that in an age where buildings of national interest increasingly have to pay their way, maximising the number of potential visitors is a way of helping to secure the long term future of a building.
Eastnor Castle is one of these far sighted establishments. Having taken on board the fact that geography will render some areas of the estate difficult for wheelchair users to access they realised that there were still ways that they could open up the building to more visitors.
The task facing Eastnor Castle was to find a solution which could be introduced without detracting from the ambiance of the building. They chose to commission a Vertical Access Lift from Minivator. The lift is in a purpose built shaft situated in the Red Hall, where the collection of medieval armour is housed. The lift travels to the first floor from where several of the stunning bedrooms can be accessed.
The quest for the team at Eastnor was to find a supplier who could not only provide a suitable product but who also understood the challenges of implementing lifting solutions in historic environments. They found both these qualities in Minivator and the end product has resulted in a solution which is fit for purpose without impacting negatively on its surroundings.