Pennyhill Park Hotel

Pennyhill Park Hotel and Spa is a luxury hotel situated across 120 acres in the heart of Surrey. The main house is a 19th century manor house with modern extensions added to the site over time. The hotel features a Michelin starred restaurant, Latymer, a more informal restaurant, Hillfield as well as further food and drink offerings. The hotel also features a 45,000 sq ft spa which includes a state-of-the-art fitness suite, over 20 treatment rooms and inside and outside swimming pools. 

During the first half of 2023, the hotel underwent extensive refurbishment works to the Terrace Wing creating a new destination within the hotel for luxury weddings. As part of the renovation the architect was looking at installing disabled access from one level to another across their marbled stairs. The architect wanted a solution which would blend in seamlessly with the stairs and would not ruin the aesthetic of a 5-star luxury hotel. More traditional options such as platform stairlifts would look completely out of place and would ruin the appearance of this part of the hotel. 

The option we proposed was a hidden platform lift which would incorporate the existing steps. When a visitor uses the lift, retractable shields raise at the upper landing and the lift descends to the lower landing. The steps also travel down creating a step free flat pathway onto the platform. The lift features a brushed stainless steel on platform control column and wireless radio control call and send landing controls. The platform and steps are clad with the same white marble as the rest of the staircase and upper and lower landings. This creates a discreet access solution with a clean attractive finish which doesn’t take away from the rest of the building. The lift was completed in time for the weddings booked in the Terrace Wing in June. 

Location: Surrey

Status: Complete

Year Completed: 2023

To see projects similar to Pennyhill Park Hotel click on the following links:

King Street Townhouse | 24 Chiswell Street | The Newt in Somerset | Il Borro Tuscan Bistro | Lincoln Cathedral | New Bond Street Boutique

A white marble set of stairs with a hidden platform lift on the left side at Pennyhill Park Hotel
The upper landing of the hidden platform lift at Pennyhill Park Hotel
The platform lift completely lowers to the lower floor level to allow step free access for a wheelchair user
The hidden platform lift features retractable shields on the upper landing to prevent falls into the lift way
A view of the hidden platform lift in its lowered position from the lower floor level at Pennyhill Park Hotel
The view from the lower landing of the white marble steps with the lift in its up position
A view from the lower landing of the whole set of white marble steps with the lift in its lowered position

For more information about lifts like the one above call us on 0800 65 252 65 or email us

King Street Townhouse Spa & Gym

The King Street Townhouse is a luxury hotel built in 1872 and located on Booth Street in central Manchester. The hotel features a rooftop pool, sundeck and recently refurbished gym and spa. We were approached by EPR Architects who were in charge of the design for the King Street Townhouse Spa and Gym. They were looking for solutions that would be able to combine luxury finishes and provide practical unobtrusive access for less able bodied visitors. The Gym is located on the ground floor with the Spa below in the basement. Due to the age of the building there were split levels on both floors with a set of steps leading from street level into the main gym entrance and two low rise changes of level in the Spa. Traditional access solutions such as inclined platform lifts can take long to operate and can detract from the surrounding finishes.

We worked with EPR through their Stage 3 & 4 design to specify 3 hidden platform lifts for these small changes of level. The benefit of these lifts is that they can be placed in front of the steps and do not take up any space when not in use. This is perfect for entrances and lobbies where there is not space for a traditional platform lifts to the side of the steps. They are incredibly versatile with a number of different on platform, landing or handheld remote controls which ensure that the client gets exactly the operation arrangement they require. 

The other lift of the package is a cabin lift which transports passengers from the ground floor Gym entrance to the Spa below. This cabin lift features 90º adjacent entry with 2 entrances on the ground floor one from the main entrance and one leading directly into the Gym as well as the entrance into the Spa below. This lift features bespoke bronze finishes throughout the cabin with lighter skirting, dark mesh panels and a full length bronze mirror to one side. The passenger lift features 2 types of bespoke swing landing door. The first type which is present on the gym entrances features mirror tinted frameless glass panels with gunmetal grey door frames and full height matte black door handles. The second type found in the Spa features the same mirror tinted frameless glass panel with bronze door frame and full height matte black door handles. Both of these type of doors feature bronze mirror panels on the side facing the cabin.

The lifts package was completed and installed in time for the King Street Townhouse Spa & Gym's opening in July 2022. 

Location: Manchester

Status: Complete

Year Completed: 2022

To see projects similar to King Street Townhouse click on the following links:

The Newt in Somerset | Il Borro Tuscan BistroLincoln Cathedral | Leighton House Museum | Devonshire Club | New Bond Street Boutique

The gym entrance to the main lift at King Street Townhouse
The spa entrance at King Street Townhouse
Frameless glass door of the lift at KSTH in Manchester
The gym entrance to the main lift at the KSTH in Manchester
One of the hidden platform lifts in the spa of King Street Townhouse
Hidden wheelchair lift at King Street Townhouse in central Manchester
Hidden platform lift at spa on Booth Street, Manchester
The internal cabin features copper skirting detail and bronze mesh panels as well as a bronze mirror
the lift cabin features a bronze mirror
The main lift entrance leading from the spa at King Street Townhouse

For more information about lifts like the one above call us on 0800 65 252 65 or email us

Marsham Court Hotel

We were approached by the owners of the Marsham Court Hotel as they were looking to fit a new platform lift as part of extensive refurbishment works around the hotel. The Marsham Court Hotel is located on Bournemouth's East Cliff opposite the Russell Cotes Museum. The Marsham Court has been owned and run by the same family since 1987, and we worked with current directors Rosie, James and Russell to fulfil this project. The Marsham Court offers a great location within Bournemouth with short walks to the beach and tot he town centre with amenities close by. The hotel has two restaurants, offers events space for weddings and. conferences and also has an outdoor heated swimming pool. Its location also benefits from sea views from Hengistbury Head in the East to the Isle of Purbeck in the West. 

The Marsham Court went under extensive refurbishment during the pandemic. As part of the works Rosie, James and Russell were looking to make the hotel more accessible. The best solution to allow easy access for wheelchair users was to include a platform lift at the main entrance of the hotel. This would provide less able bodied guests the shortest distance from parking to reception and also offer a great access solution for extra visitors who would make use of the hotel during the busy summer months. The platform lift would have to be extremely reliable with consistent use everyday. The lift travels around 1500mm between the two levels and features an inbuilt ramp on the platform so there is no need for a pit. In addition the lift was manufactured from brushed stainless steel to handle the harsh environment of the coastal location. It was then finished with frameless glass panels and powder-coated in RAL 5023 - Distant Blue.

The Marsham Court Hotel is a great local family run business and we had great pleasure working with them on this project. 

Location: Bournemouth 

Status: Complete

Year Completed: 2022

To see more of our projects in the hospitality sector click on the following links:

King Street Tonwhouse Gym & Spa | The Newt in Somerset | Il Borro Tuscan BistroDevonshire ClubThe Swan at Streatley

External blue powder coated platform lift at the Marsham Court Hotel in Bournemouth
Outdoor platform lift at the Marsham Court Hotel
The lift travels around 1.5 metres between the two levels
The external platform lift was powder coated in a chosen RAL colour

For more information about lifts like the one above call us on 0800 65 252 65 or email us

Hidden Wheelchair Lift at Il Borro Tuscan Bistro

We were approached by interior designers Studio 63. They were the principal designers behind the refurbishment of 15 Berkeley Street, Mayfair, transforming it from Nobu to the new Il Borro Tuscan Bistro. The restaurant can trace its roots back to the Il Borro estate in Tuscany, Italy where the Ferragamo family have been producing fresh produce  as well as wine for generations. Il Borro Tuscan Bistro in London is the second international restaurant set up, with the first being opened in Dubai in 2017. As part of the design of the restaurant in London, there was a split level with the bar in the front portion of the building and the main restaurant area towards the back and on the first floor. 

The stairs consist of 3 risers totalling a vertical travel of 420mm and a horizontal travel of 400mm. A Part M compliant ramp would have to be over 5 metres in length for this rise. This would not only detract from the elegance of the restaurant but would also take up valuable space. Our hidden platform lifts require a shallow pit of only 155mm and can have a maximum vertical travel of 830mm and maximum horizontal travel of 900mm. With the plug and play design of these lifts, they can be installed, tested and handed over to the client in a matter of hours. 

The lift features key fob remote controls which are kept with front of house staff and at the bar so that when a customer comes to use the lift they can do so quickly and easily. In addition the lift does not feature any on platform controls which allow both staff and customers to both around the area of the lift without being impeded. Our hidden lifts feature a 22mm tray which can be fitted with any flooring, the same herringbone wooden floor was continued onto the lift allowing a seamless transition. The lift was finished with brass trims to match the brass and bronze accents seen throughout the restaurant. 

To see similar projects click on the following links. 

Location: London

Status: Complete

Year Completed: 2021

The lift is situated in front of the steps leading to the upper part of the restaurant
The hidden lift is in its down position
The invisible wheelchair lift is in its up position, meeting the upper landing
Step Lift at Il Borro London
Hidden platform lift with retractable barriers
The lift features retractable 100mm high protection around the edge of the platform
The bar at Il Borro Tuscan Bistro features bronze and brass accents
The hidden wheelchair lift features brass trims to match the brass accents on the bar
The lift allows access to the upper part fo the restaurant

For more information about lifts like the one above call us on 0800 65 252 65, email us or click here to be taken to our hidden lifts page

Bespoke Hidden Lift in a New Bond Street Boutique

We were approached by 3Interiors who were carrying out the refurbishment of a brand new New Bond Street boutique. They were looking for a discreet form of disabled access that would blend in with the modern aesthetic of the store. 3Interiors is an interior design contractor that specialises in commercial retail, bars and restaurants as well as having undertaken private residential projects. Bond Street is the London home for the world's major fashion houses and brands. The difficulty that the New Bond Street boutique store faced was that they had a split level with a narrow stairwell leading front the main shop floor to other retail space. The difference between the floor levels was 750mm, a Part M compliant ramp would have to total over 15 metres in length for this rise. A ramp of this length would not have even fit in the shop and so was never a considered option. The narrow width of the stairs would make a traditional platform lift difficult to install and would involve altering the preexisting layout of the store. 

The two options available in order to keep the existing stairwell would be to have a collapsable stairwell similar to our project at Chiswell Street or a hidden platform lift. Both would provide the necessary access and leave the stairwell free when not in use. However the collapsable stairwell would require a greater pit depth which would then require more structural work above the basement. The hidden platform lift at the New Bond Street boutique offers disabled access, connecting the main shop floor with the rest of the retail space. The lift rises 750mm and travels 1200mm across to meet the top step. The lift features detachable stainless steel handrails which are fitted when the lift is used. The top tray was given to the tiling company in advance of the installation in which they fitted the same handmade Italian terrazzo tiles to match the surrounding floor. 

Location: London

Status: Complete

Year Completed: 2019

To see projects similar to New Bond Street boutique click on the following links:

Il Borro Tuscan Bistro | Lincoln Cathedral | Broadwalk House | 12-16 Laystall Street200 Grays Inn Road | Sissinghurst Castle Garden | Devonshire Club | 24 Chiswell Street

 

The lift at the New Bond Street boutique has handmade terrazzo tiles to match the surrounding flooring
Hidden wheelchair lift in a boutique on New Bond Street
Hidden lift with detachable handrails
Hidden platform lift in a fashion house's New Bond Street boutique
The lift links two parts of the boutique together, making it accessible for every visitor
Hidden wheelchair lift at a New Bond Street boutique
The hidden lift has detachable handrails to prevent users from fall off of the platform
Without the handrails the hidden lift recesses into the ground and allows other visitors to use the steps as normal

For more information about lifts like the one above call us on 0800 65 252 65 or email us

The Swan at Streatley

The Swan at Streatley is a 17th century hotel on the banks of the River Thames, around 11 miles from Reading. The Hotel recently underwent a £12 million refurbishment including a new restaurant, redesigned rooms and a Coppa Club. The Coppa Club is a take on a private members club with a 380 cover restaurant, a large bar, fireplaces, events rooms and a private dinning room overlooking the river. Other Coppa Clubs are situated on the Thames at Henley, Sonning, Maidenhead and the most well known on the north bank by Tower Bridge in London. 

During the renovation we were asked by Quadrant Design, having worked with them on projects at Venture House in Reading and Wagamama Wigmore Street, to install two platform lifts. The first, outside of the restaurant, travels a total of 800mm linking the restaurant with the covered terrace on the banks fo the river. The second, outside of the riverside function room, also travels 800mm which allows guests to access the small island off of the main hotel's ground to enjoy all the river has to offer. The lifts were finished in the same dark grey colour as the windows and door frames. They feature non skid platforms so that even in the rain the lifts can be used quickly and safely. Both platforms measure 1100mm x 1400mm and have rated loads of 300kg so even the largest electric wheelchairs can be accommodated.  Both lifts are designed to withstand even the harshest of conditions and as you can see in the photos they can easily cope with the British summer. 

The lifts were installed in time for the hotels grand reopening in July 2019.

Location: Berkshire

Status: Complete

Year Completed: 2019

To see some of our projects that are similar to The Swan at Streatley click on the following links:

Disabled platform lift outside the function room at The Swan at Streatley
Outside platform lift linking the function room with the lower terrace
Wheelchair lift allowing access to the island to enjoy the river at The Swan at Streatley
Platform lift outside the restaurant at The Swan at Streatley
Wheelchair lift overlooking the covered terrace at The Swan at Streatley
Platform lift overlooking the River Thames

For more information about lifts like the one above call us on 0800 65 252 65 or email us

The Newt in Somerset

Hadspen House was built in the late 17th century and is situated in East Somerset. The Grade II* listed building has undergone many transformations in its time and now the main house as well as the surrounding outbuildings and lodges have been renovated into a luxury country hotel. The Newt in Somerset boasts 35 rooms from converted stable blocks to a loft in the main house. In addition to the rooms, there are a number of other attractions on the estate. The spa is located a short walk up the driveway from the main house. It features various treatment rooms, a pool and even a mud chamber. The restaurant, attached to the main house, features a complete sloped glass ceiling combining the original Georgian house with state of the art modern style. It serves food from their kitchen garden which you can see while enjoying breakfast, lunch or dinner. They even produce venison from the estate's deer park, making sure as much produce as possible is gathered from the local area. The estate also features 3000 strong apple tree orchards with its very own cider press where guests can see the whole process from pressing the apples to enjoying the cider. 

The client needed two lifts for The Newt in Somerset, the first a goods lift which would be used to ferry items from the kitchen on the ground floor up into the rest of the hotel as well as take deliveries. This one tonne goods lift was finished with brushed stainless steel walls and ceilings to match the kitchen surfaces. The second, an antique passenger lift that would provide access for guests across the 3 floors of the hotel. The client had a very specific vision having purchased the stripped down panelling of a 19th century mahogany lift from an antique shop. They wanted a lift that would be befitting of the hotel and vice versa. Our task was to use as much of the original materials as possible whilst adapting the panelling into a completely new lift layout. The antique panelling was then fitted onto a modern hydraulic lift. We even managed to keep the original operating instructions, original brass push buttons, original green leather seat and the 19th century brass R. Waygood & Co sign. 

Below are a number of photos of the antique passenger lift at The Newt in Somerset.

Location: Somerset

Status: Complete

Year Completed: 2019

To see projects similar to The Newt in Somerset as well as other projects in listed buildings click on the following links:

British Library | York Theatre Royal | Dancing Man Brewery | National Theatre | Meriden Hall | Sissinghurst Castle Garden | Hotel du Vin Poole

The driveway leading up to the main house at The Newt in Somerset
The main house at The Newt in Somerset
Interior of the antique lift in The Newt in Somerset
The antique passenger lift on the first floor of the The Newt in Somerset

For more information about lifts like the one above call us on 0800 65 252 65 or email us

R. Waygood & Co brass threshold plate
Mirrored light-box in the antique passenger lift
Instructions for operating the lift

Hidden Traversing Lift at Sissinghurst Castle Garden

We were approached by a representative of the National Trust as they were looking for a way for less-able visitors to access the lower level of the shop at Sissinghurst Castle Garden. Sissinghurst Castle Garden was bought by the writer Vita Sackville-West and her husband Harold Nicolson in 1930, with various buildings around the site dating back to the 1530s. Sackville-West and Nicolson restored many of the buildings and designed the layout and style of the now famous gardens. It is one of the National Trust's most visited sites and one of the world's most well known gardens. Due to their cultural significance and high quality the gardens are Grade I listed along with the main Sissinghurst Castle building.

The site of the lift is in the modern day shop which used to be the Old Piggery attached to the granary. The particular challenges of creating disabled access in the shop were that a ramp would have to be over 4.5 metres long plus a 1.5 metre clear space at the bottom of the ramp in order to accommodate the difference between floor levels. This wasn't feasible as the total width of the lower floor was under 4 metres. A traditional platform lift would take up at least 1400mm x 1100mm of retail space and then a 900mm door on both levels would impact the retail space even further. This would have disrupted both the till area and lower level of the shop. Even though it was feasible the disruption and the space that the lift would take up would damage the retail space for the shop.

The best solution was to have a hidden platform lift by the steps in the middle of the shop that wouldn't need any gates. The lift would provide the necessary disabled access but when not in use it would be completely flat matching the surrounding quarry tile floor. The way the lift recedes into the ground allows users to get onto the lift from both sides of the shop and allows the shop staff to have a seasonal table close to the lift as seen in the photos below. When not in use the lift can be walked on and becomes part of the floor.

To see more examples hidden lifts like the one at Sissinghurst Castle Garden click on the following links:

200 Grays Inn Road | Devonshire Club | Baltic Centre for Contemporary Art | 24 Chiswell Street | Venture House 

To see more examples of our work in listed buildings click on the following links:

British Library | York Theatre Royal | Dancing Man Brewery | National Theatre | Hotel du Vin Poole

Location: Kent

Status: Complete

Year Completed: 2019

Hidden lift in the National Trust shop at Sissinghurst Castle Garden in Kent

For more information about lifts like the one above call us on 0800 65 252 65, email us or click here to be taken to our hidden lifts page

Platform Lift in Wagamama Wigmore Street

Quadrant Design, an architectural practice based in Reading, were in charge of designing the layout of a new Wagamama restaurant on Wigmore Street in central London. Wagamama is a popular Japanese restaurant with over 130 locations in the UK and a total of over 190 worldwide. Wigmore Street runs parallel to Oxford Street with Regent's Park to the north and Hyde Park to the south-west. Its central location means there is a large collection of restaurants supplying both offices and tourists alike. Quadrant are specialists in restaurant design having created restaurants for the likes of Pizza Express, Tortilla and Coppa Club. Quadrant needed a way for wheelchair using customers to get from the entrance at street level down to the main restaurant area, 660mm lower. We met with the architect and site manager at Wagamama, Wigmore Street to discuss the aesthetic they were looking for and how this could be achieved. 

The platform lift at Wagamama Wigmore Street would be replacing a pre-existing ramp. As we've found with several restaurants there is a conflict between whether to go for a lift or a ramp. Ramps are usually more affordable however they take up table space and so limit the amount of covers the restaurant can have at any one time. This then impacts the long term profitability of the restaurant. The architect decided that the lift would be the better option. The overall footprint of the lift is 1350mm x 1700mm, which equals 2.23m². On the other hand a DDA compliant ramp with a rise of 635mm would have a footprint of nearly 15.5m². Comparing the restaurant before and after refurbishment, the surplus space equates to at least 20 covers. This shows how a lift can maximise a restaurant's potential and boost its overall profits. The lift's platform measure 1100mm x 1400m with glass doors and panels on all 4 sides to match the modern aesthetic of the restaurant. The metalwork was finished in the same dark grey used in the rest of the restaurant. The lift was installed in time for Wagamama Wigmore Street's grand opening.

To see some of our projects that are similar to Wagamama Wigmore Street click on the following links:
Devonshire Club | Cheltenham Racecourse | Hotel du Vin Poole | Audi Northampton | Sissinghurst Castle Garden

Location: London

Status: Complete

Year Completed: 2018

Platform Lift in Wagamama
Glass Platform Lift in Wagamama, Wigmore Street
Wheelchair Platform Lift in Wagamama
Disabled Platform Lift in Wagamama, Wigmore Street
Platform Lifts for Restaurants

For more information about lifts like the one above call us on 0800 65 252 65 or email us

Hotel du Vin Poole

Hotel du Vin is a boutique hotel chain with 19 locations covering England and Scotland. As the title suggests the chain was founded with wine at the heart of its business. Hotel du Vin Poole is situated in Poole Old Town tucked away from the quay opposite St James' Church. The original building dates back to 1776 as the Mansion House, Hotel du Vin have then refurbished the site retaining many of the original features. The front entrance of the property is raised from street level and then once inside the property the property is split. The reception is on the upper ground level whilst the restaurant, bar and wine tasting area is on the lower ground floor. Both of these levels are separated via stone staircases therefore having a complete access route at the front of the building would prove difficult and costly. In addition any modifications to the front of the building would also have to meet the requirements of Historic England as the building is Grade II* listed. 

The solution to creating the best possible access route into the building for disabled guests was to use the street level to the side of the building. This then leads into the side of restaurant. From the restaurant, disabled guests can access both the bar and outdoor seating area. The platform of the lift measures 1100mm x 1400mm with a rated load of 300kg. This means that it can take even the heaviest of electric buggies. The lift in the restaurant allows guests to access all of what Hotel du Vin Poole has to offer. In addition the hotel has accessible rooms behind the restaurant at street level.

Location: Dorset

Status: Complete

Year Completed: 2013

To see similar projects to Hotel du Vin Poole click on the following links:

Wagamama Wigmore Street | Sissinghurst Castle GardenCheltenham Racecourse | Devonshire Club | Audi NorthamptonBaltic Centre.

Lift at the Hotel du Vin Poole
Disabled Access Lift at the Hotel du Vin Poole
Hotel du Vin Poole - Lift in Restaurant
Lift in the restaurant at Hotel du Vin Poole
Platform Lift at the Hotel du Vin Poole

For more information about lifts like the ones featured above call us on 0800 65 252 65 or email us