ACCESS STATEMENT FOR HUDSON'S BAY HOLIDAY APARTMENTS

MAY 2009

ADDRESS: 12 ADELPHI ROAD, PAIGNTON, SOUTH DEVON, TQ4 6AW
TEL: 01803 664455 or Mobile: 07923 467178
e mail address: enquiries@hudsonsbayholidayapartments.co.uk
web address: www.hudsonsbayholidayapartments.co.uk

LOCATION

Located within easy access of the railway and bus stations. Collections and drop off from/to the stations can be arranged with independent taxi company. Alternatively the building is an easy flat ten minute walk away. Five minute flat walk to the promenade and beach with the pier a further five minutes away. Access is relatively easy for wheel chairs and electric scooters. The harbour is ten minutes easy walk along the front. There is a main road to cross but this has islands as well as pelican crossings to aid access to the promenade. The town centre, restaurants, shops and cinema are in easy reach and accessible on foot.

BUILDING

Elegant four storey victorian town house built around 1890 with a lower ground floor with two separate apartments with their own external entrances. There are a further four apartments on the first and second floors. The owners accommodation is located on the ground floor. There is a car park at the front of the building with space for one car for each apartment. Access to the gardens, which is concreted, is from the side of the house or from Torbay Gardens. The building has been tastefully renovated to provide six self contained apartments each with separate bedrooms. The lower ground floors are partially centrally heated out of season. Electricity is provided by £1.00 or 50p meter. The windows have all been replaced with new uPVC double glazing. The building has a fire safety inspection annually. Electrical inspection has been carried out and the identified action plan completed. This certificate is valid for a total of five years and has three years left to run.

SERVICE PROVIDED

In the summer season and main holiday periods apartments are provided for self catering holidays. All apartments are cleaned and beds made up on arrival. Dustbins are located at the side of the building where recycling means that different bins are available and labelled for different household waste. Towels are provided at a small cost.

BEDROOM ACCOMMODATION

There are seven bedrooms in total with a double bed (4ft 6 ins).All have new mattresses and quilts. There are two pillows per person per bed provided. Also, there are six single beds (3ft), two of which are bunk beds. Two bedrooms have sinks. All rooms have wardrobes, bedside lamps and drawers.

STAFFING

Management of the facility and service is provided by the resident proprietors, Janet and Roy Kinder, who live on the upper ground floor. They are supported by two part-time cleaners who attend for three hours each Saturday to prepare the apartments for new guests.

PRE-ARRIVAL AND RECEPTION

Advertising:

• The prime source of external advertising is the English Riviera holiday guide. To participate in this annual publication the premises have to be inspected and officially graded. The property is currently a 3 Star facility.
• Web page has details of the apartments with photographs and descriptions of the facilities offered.
• Coloured brochure and business card
• Intended Actions:
• To mention the Access Statement in all future correspondence and to provide copies when requested.
• To include the Access Statement on the web page

Reception:

Seating:

• In Reception there is one chair, but as guests are usually shown straight to their apartments it has not been necessary to provide seating for guests who are waiting for their accommodation.

Lighting:

• Table lamps are used with a ceiling light (low energy) in the porch.

Neatness:

• There is no clutter on the floors, which are carpeted.

Facilities:

• When confirming a booking a brochure and business card are included to reinforce the facilities offered as well as directing guests to the web page.

Familiarisation:

• All guests are welcomed in person by the proprietors who take the guest to their apartment and explain the facilities in detail. There are also information sheets in each room. Each apartment has an individual name, not a number, and these are displayed on the front door to each apartment.
• Additional keys can be provided on request. Each key has a front door key and key to the apartment with a name tag showing the apartment name.

Record of Guests:

• Guest details are recorded in the original booking form showing their requirements and apartment details.
• Fire alarm details are displayed on the back of each apartment front door.

RAMPS

There is one ramp which takes guests from the car park down the side of the property. This is ridged to prevent slipping. It is concrete and is 900mm wide. It slopes from a height of 570 mm to the ground level and covers a distance of 2200 mm.

Ramps are available to allow access to the garden shed which is used to store electric scooters or wheel chairs if needed.

Lighting is provided from the street lamps as well as security lighting at the side of the building and lights from next door.

STEPS

• Access to the front door of the main building and reception is via a number of steps. To begin with there are two steps from the car park which are 180mm high and 100mm deep. Width of the full pathway to the door is 1500mm. After the second step there is a distance of 4450mm to the next series of steps which are all 180mm high. There are four steps which end at the main porch step in front of the door. The steps are 280mm deep. Note should be taken on the height of the first step in this group as it is only 60mm high. The pathway is painted in red anti-slip paint with white lines to highlight specific steps.

HANDRAILS

• To aid access there is a handrail on the right hand side of the pathway to offer support when using the steps on the approach to the front door. This is painted black and is 900mm high and 1920mm long.
• INTENDED ACTION
• Additional handrail to be considered at the beginning of the pathway. This will ease access and egress along the path. (Completed May 2009).
• Handrail to be considered on the ramp at the side of the building leading to the lower ground floor apartments. (Completed May 2009).

APPROACH/CAR PARKING

• The car park is at the front of the building and offers parking for one vehicle for each apartment. Parking is two deep and a notice board is located in the porch to record car details so that the risk of being blocked in can be reduced. The car park is less than 50 metres from the front door and the doors to the lower ground floor apartments.
• The largest car park space is 2.5m by 4.8m and is reserved for the lower ground floor apartments to give easy access.
• There is space to drop passengers off at the front of the building. When required assistance with luggage will be given.
• Lighting is provided around the outside of the property by security lights which work off sensors.

DOORS-EXTERNAL

The two apartments which are accessible and used for guests with disabilities are The Level Decking and The Anchor. Both apartments are on the lower ground floor and have their own external doors.

• The Level Decking has a door at the side of the building which is 750mm wide and has to be pushed into the apartment to open and there is a step which is 60mm high. Usually guests will leave wheel chairs in the lounge and scooters in the garden shed. The door handle is a lever style which is pushed down to open and has to be pushed up to be locked (like a conservatory door).
• The Anchor is at the rear of the building with access around the side of the property and also from Torbay Gardens. There is limited access around the side of the house which is 880mm wide at its narrowest point.
• The door into The Anchor opens outwards and is 790mm wide and the handle needs to be pushed downwards to open the door and upwards to secure it. There is a step to get into the apartment which is 26mm high and 34mm wide.
• The garden gate opens inwards from Torbay Gardens and is 120mm wide with a downward step 17mm high. Access/egress is by a handle which has to be turned clockwise to open.

INTERIORS

• The Level Decking and The Anchor
• There is fitted carpet throughout and cushion floor in the kitchen and bathrooms with no rugs or mats.
• Light switches are 1300mm or lower.
• Bathroom fitments, kitchen cupboards and beds are of conventional design and height .
• TVs have remote controls and Free View.
• Bedrooms have double beds which are 4ft 6in.
• Bathrooms: The Level Decking has a 900mm shower cubicle with sliding glass doors and step to enter. The Anchor has a 750mm shower with a step to enter. Both have electrically heated showers.
• Swing top bins are provided in the bathrooms.
• Kitchens have fire blankets between the cooker and doorway.
• There are cordless kettles in both apartments.
• Swing top bins are provided.

GARDEN

• Is for the use of all guests. It is level and concreted with flower beds at the side and a palm tree in the middle. There are two garden patio sets for guests to use.