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platform lift

Bridging design and accessibility with Stannah’s stairlift at luxury Islay hotel

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Ardbeg House, a boutique luxury hotel on the picturesque island of Islay, Scotland, has opened its doors as a truly immersive whisky and hospitality experience, with a newly installed Stannah Stairiser CR2 inclined platform lift providing guests with full accessibility to upper floors.

Featuring twelve individually themed bedrooms, the hotel combines luxury, creativity and storytelling inspired by the island’s famous Ardbeg distillery and heritage. The hotel interiors include striking copper wall art, a custom-designed boat chandelier and interactive features including buttons labelled Press for Smoke, which release a smoky whisky scent. Guests can also enjoy tours of the local distillery and a quality food and drink menu with an Ardbeggian twist.

The work

 Designed in collaboration with Russell Sage Studio, Ardbeg House honours the heritage of Ardbeg while creating immersive spaces that reflect the island’s culture and the distillery’s iconic history. Over 20 local and Scottish architects contributed to weaving Ardbeg’s story into the hotel’s design, which also involved seamlessly integrating the Stannah Stairiser CR2 with customised solutions. Stannah Lifts collaborated closely with Russell Sage Studio and main contractor Thomas Johnstone to supply a custom lift solution that met both the functional and aesthetic requirements.

The Challenge

The hotel required a custom solution to provide disabled access to its upper floors, which presented three main challenges. The first challenge was accessing the island, as transporting equipment involved careful planning and coordination with ferry services to ensure timely delivery and installation without disrupting the renovation schedule.

The second challenge was addressing the space constraints. The hotel had no space to accommodate a passenger lift, so an inclined platform lift was the best option. However, the staircase area was small, requiring a compact design. Following a detailed assessment of the space, a Stannah CR2 inclined platform lift was chosen as the ideal solution. The lift’s slimline design further minimised wall projection, and the platform folds neatly when not in use, preserving staircase space. The platform dimensions of 800mm by 1000mm comfortably accommodate a wheelchair and user, while raised ramps and safety barrier arms ensure secure and safe operation.

The goal was to provide safe and reliable access for wheelchair users without disrupting the visual appeal of the hotel interiors. To achieve this, a bespoke colour was selected for the platform lift, ensuring it blended seamlessly with the surrounding walls and décor.

The results

The Stairiser CR2 now provides safe and reliable access to the two upper floors of Ardbeg House, allowing all guests to enjoy the hotel’s immersive and unique experience. Equipped with remote call stations, wheelchair users can summon the lift independently from the top or bottom of the stairs, ensuring convenient operation.

Designed for use on a curved rail, the Stairiser CR2 follows the natural flow of the staircase while keeping outward projection to a minimum. This innovative feature makes the Stairiser CR2 equally well suited for installations featuring a single turn, multiple landings or spiral configurations.

To ensure the stairlift complemented the hotel’s rich Ardbeggian interiors, the rail and carriage were finished in a custom green paint specifically chosen to match the hotel’s décor. This carefully considered design decision allowed the lift to feel like a natural part of the space, making the lift an integral element of the storytelling and design.

With the installation of the Stairiser CR2 completed in just two days, Ardbeg House continues to offer a world-class whisky and hospitality experience that is now fully accessible to every guest.

Dimitri De Juliis, Technical Sales Consultant at Stannah Lifts Scotland, said: “Working on Ardbeg House was an exciting challenge because it required a solution that improved access while seamlessly blending with the interiors. By customising the stairlift with a bespoke green finish, we were able to provide full accessibility without compromising the hotel’s luxurious design. Careful logistical planning was also essential, as all equipment had to be transported to the island via ferry. It’s incredibly rewarding to see how naturally the lift integrates into such a unique and immersive space.”

For more information, visit: www.stannahlifts.co.uk

The Platform Lift Company Launches Exclusive Online Parts Portal

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The Platform Lift Company is proud to announce the launch of its groundbreaking online parts portal, a first-of- its-kind innovation in the platform lift industry. Designed as a comprehensive hub for premium spare parts and accessories, the portal promises to transform the way engineers and trade professionals access and manage their platform lift components.

With an extensive inventory of over 400 products, the platform offers an unrivalled selection from leading brands, including Aritco, Cama, LiftUp, Motala, and Vimec. This collection ensures the perfect match for any platform lift, empowering users to achieve optimal performance and longevity.

Key Features and Benefits:

  • A Centralised Solution: Access a vast range of spare parts and accessories all in one place.
  • Seamless E-Commerce Experience: Purchase products easily through our user-friendly online store.
  • Swift Delivery: Fast turnaround times ensure minimal downtime for your platform lift.
  • Trade Account Perks: Enjoy effortless credit applications, exclusive discounts, and dedicated support.
  • Comprehensive Technical Resources: Unlock access to detailed schematics, blueprints, and video guides for added convenience.
  • Customisable Parts List: Save frequently used items for quicker reordering and personalised efficiency.
  • Expert Assistance: Our team is available to answer enquiries, ensuring a smooth and stress-free experience.

In addition to a wide selection of top-quality brands, Platform Lift Company offers a range of resources to support customers, including schematics, blueprints, detailed instructions, and informative video guides. These video guides include step-by-step instructions on how to fix common faults and perform maintenance tasks, providing invaluable assistance to engineers.

Trade customers will especially benefit from special discounts, easy credit facilities, and exclusive technical insights, making this a one-stop solution for all their spare parts needs. The Platform Lift Company’s online parts store is now live and ready to serve. Experience the convenience, reliability, and innovation that define the future of the platform lift industry.

“We are thrilled to introduce our new spare parts website to the industry,” said Rachel Baker, Marketing Manager at the Platform Lift Company. “With over 20 years of experience in platform lift innovation, we understand the challenges engineers face when sourcing parts. Our goal is to provide a one-stop solution that simplifies the process and ensures consistent, reliable deliveries, while also offering a wide range of resources, including schematics, blueprints, instructions and informative video guides, to support our customers at every step.”

Motala vertical platform lift creates an inclusive coworking shared office space

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Client: Peldon Rose
Project: Rank Foundation

Project overview

Peldon Rose, a leading office and design expert in London, required an access solution for The Rank Foundation’s new coworking space in Shoreditch. The Rank Foundation is the philanthropic organisation and charitable legacy of Joseph Arthur Rank (1888-1972) who aimed to improve lives and communities by developing leadership and promoting enterprise. Their brief was to create an inclusive central hub for the Rank Foundation and social sector that reflected the ethos of its founder, Joseph Arthur Rank. Accessibility was a key element of the project brief to create a welcoming space where the Foundation’s staff and network of supporting members could collaborate at ease without physical barriers.

The access solution

To create a clear passage for wheelchair users through the whole office the plan was to remove the original staircase joining the two floors and replace it with a wheelchair lift solution.

The Platform Lift Company visited the site and advised that the sloped glass ceiling above the stairwell on the first floor would restrict the installation of a full height platform lift door and that a half height model would be required. Due to the layout of the first floor, it was also identified that the lift would need to be reconfigured with the door on the upper landing opening to the side rather at the front to provide a clear turning circle for wheelchair users.

The Motala 2000 was recommended. This bespoke platform lift has interchangeable doors that come in full and half height. It could also be fully glazed on all four sides to meet Peldon Rose’s design requirements.

The platform lift was manufactured to specification and installation was carried out within the desired timeframe with minimal disturbance to the building or other contractors working onsite.

Results

The Rank Foundations’ new coworking space is now fully accessible to its employees and members. There is a natural flow of travel between the two floors with the lift doors opening at the front on the ground floor and then to the side on the first floor. The half height platform lift door on the upper landing stands clear of the sloped glass roof creating a light and airy environment.

Aesthetically the fully glazed platform lift is clean, unobtrusive and fits with the muted colour scheme used throughout the office to create a calm sensory experience for organisation and its visitors.

 

Next generation ‘FlexStep’ platform lift is launched

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The Platform Lift Company announces to UK specifiers and architects the arrival of the newly enhanced FlexStep complete with an automatic onboard barrier feature. 

 

 

 

 

 

FlexStep is a 2-in-1 platform lift providing both stairs and a stairlift to customers needing a space saving alternative access solution. The Danish manufacturer Liftup has now developed the product by incorporating an automatic onboard barrier combined with an active ramp to create an ultimate user experience.

Existing customers of the FlexStep can also benefit from this new safety feature through retrofit. The Platform Lift Company qualified engineers can fit the automatic onboard barrier and ramp to an already installed FlexStep. An automatic onboard barrier is suitable for models that have four, five or six steps.

The Platform Lift Company is a certified distributor and provider of parts and technical training for Liftup in the UK. Orders for the automatic onboard barrier for new and existing FlexStep models can be placed from today.

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From derelict pile to hospitality pearl: Stannah updates access in Crossbasket Castle

Building Products Index Ltd Lift Leave a Comment

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Throughout its 600-year history it’s doubtful that Crossbasket Castle in Scotland catered for mobility compromised people – until a recent £9m investment and a Stannah Midilift SL platform lift transformed it into a luxury hotel, restaurant and events venue, accessible to everyone.

Moribund and on the Buildings at Risk Register, this Grade I Listed tower house was bankrolled into the 21st century with four years of sympathetic restoration, by new owners Steve and Alison Reid-Timoney.

Set in 14 acres of landscaped gardens on the banks of Rotten Calder Water in High Blantyre, Lanarkshire, Crossbasket Castle offers eight bedrooms, including a 4-floor honeymoon suite, the Albert and Michel Roux Jnr Restaurant, and the Roosevelt Grand Hall, a mediaeval-style, new-build banqueting/ballroom facility, and home to the Midilift SL access lift.

The platform lift carries mobility compromised patrons, especially wheelchair-users, between the ground-floor Hall and the mezzanine Balcony, a unique dining or meeting space with scenic views of the Calder gorge and waterfalls.

The Midilift SL was specified by Project Manager, John Sneddon, who sourced Stannah after having problems with a previous lift installation in the main building: “We contacted Stannah because they are a recognised name in the lift industry, and were impressed by their service from the outset – an excellent product backed by professional support from start to finish.”

Complementing the Hall’s glazed roof, the wheelchair lift’s glass door and upper-level, half-height gate blend security with viewability, with the gate providing a cost-effective solution to the restricted head height caused by the sloping ceiling.

Finished in RAL 8016 mahogany brown, the platform lift complements the surrounding woodwork, which also mirrors the aged fixtures and fittings of the main building.

Hydraulically driven and supplied in its own lift enclosure, the lift requires minimal building work, making it a cost-conscious access solution that ensures the owners of Crossbasket Castle comply with section 4.2 of the Technical Handbook (Scotland), and the Equality Act 2010.

As with all Stannah lift products, the Midilift SL platform lift is covered by Stannah’s comprehensive lift service plan, which includes four service visits, with continued lift maintenance by the Scotland branch of Stannah Lift Services, part of a nationwide network providing comprehensive lift servicing and support.