Once a Catholic seminary serving the north of England for 200 years, Ushaw Historic House, Chapels and Gardens is now a registered independent charity operating as a vibrant heritage destination welcoming visitors of all ages. Following a change of focus in 2014, Ushaw opened its doors to the public for the first time. Improving accessibility throughout the historic building is central to its plans.

As part of this programme, Ushaw wanted to remove the physical barrier of four steps leading down into a new exhibition space by installing a platform stair lift.

Home Access Solution

Level Access Lifts recommended its GTLE platform stair lift as the best solution for the small flight of steps leading from the main house into the new Library Gallery. Compact and unobtrusive, the GTLE is designed to work sympathetically within historic environments, leaving original fabric untouched.

Installation was carried out by the Level Access Lifts team with minimal disturbance to the daily operations of this popular visitor attraction.

Results

Visitors with limited mobility can now access the Library Gallery directly from the main house, without needing to take a longer route via a ramp. The compact design of the GTLE has taken up minimal space on the steps, leaving plenty of room for a high footfall of visitors.

With over 25 temporary exhibitions a year planned, Ushaw is delighted that this new display area is now fully accessible and can be enjoyed by all.