Access Statement
Newlands Adventure Centre was built around 1700 as a mill. Believed to have been a woollen mill and then a mill for graphite, it was converted in 1905 to a centre for walking parties and has since then, provided residential walking and activity holidays to the present day. Such an old industrial building, converted to accommodation in Edwardian times, has limitations in its facilities for disabled people and this access statement is to help you know what to expect from our building.
- There is no public transport to the centre. You have to arrive by vehicle, foot or cycle.
- The car park is level and tarmaced. There is no designated parking and the furthest point from parking to centre entrance is 25m. You can also park directly outside the front door.
- The car park is free of obstructions but is not fully lit at night. LED PIR lights are placed around the building and come on if you drive up / approach the building.
- There is one public entrance, signposted and lit. There is a 1 inch step to a wide inward opening glazed door with another inward opening glazed door 2 m directly in front. The entrance is carpeted and has a heavy duty rug for wiping your feet on.
- Assistance is always available if required.
- Hall is well lit (LED lights) with no steps to other rooms on this floor.
- All doorways are wide and glazed.
- Reception is in the main office and again any doors are wide glazed doorways.
- All areas are carpeted with low pile carpet.
- Tour of facilities available if requested.
- There are no lifts or escalators in the building.
- All areas are accessed by glazed fire doors, manually operated.
- All areas are lit by LED lights, with emergency lighting at night.
- Lights are operated either by normal light switches or push button timer light switches set at regular height.
- All areas are carpeted with low pile carpet apart from the dining room has a highly polished linoleum floor.
- The Bar is accessed through the lounge and is up two steps. Anyone not able to manage the steps can access the bar from the patio area outside, which is level and with just a 1 inch lip of the door frame to negotiate.
- There are no bedrooms on the ground floor.
- Staircase to bedrooms and toilets is narrow and steep (80 cm wide), with a 90 degree turn at the bottom then continuing to the first floor. The second floor is accessed directly from the first staircase with a 90 degree turn at the start and another 90 degree turn at the top. Stairs are carpeted with metal strip at front and have a standard height hand rail.
- Corridors are wide and carpeted with low pile carpet with lighting as before.
- Fire system is a combination of siren and flashing lights. All fire exits are clearly signposted and fire procedure and map clearly displayed in all bedrooms. A main fire procedure notice is clearly displayed on the welcome board and groups are verbally told about the procedure on arrival by management.
- The fire escapes from the upstairs rooms are sited at either end of the building through clearly marked fire doors. The fire escape is a metal staircase, which turns 90 degrees from top to middle floor then straight down from the middle floor to ground level.
- There is a dedicated disabled toilet: this is outside, on the side of the main building (10m from front door), with ramp access and the usual required fittings.
- All other toilet facilities are upstairs, at the end of each bedroom corridor.
- The toilets are standard width cubicles with standard height wash basins. Taps are push taps. The flooring is a polished lino.
- Lighting is LED with push button timer switch.
- Showers are up a step and are standard width. Taps are push button and the flooring is non slip. There is a small lip on each shower and each has a privacy curtain.
- Showers lighting is activated by motion sensor.
- Rooms are accessed by a heavy fire door with a lever handle.
- Rooms are carpeted with low pile carpet. Bunk beds are 3 foot wide and have guard rails.
- Top bunks are accessed by ladder and are 120cm from the ground. There is a limited number of single divan beds available.
- Lighting is by standard light switch and is an LED light.
- Areas that are not tarmac are gravelled and level, with lawns laid at the back of the centre.
- The Woods activity is set in woodland but has level gravel paths on most sections with one section set on a steep hill.
- The games field (archery) is level, grassed and is usually mowed.
- Other activity sites vary and full details of them can be obtained by calling the centre.
