One of the UK’s most popular botanical gardens is the latest venue aided by Closomat to deliver enhanced accessibility to visitors.
The Lost Gardens of Heligan has now opened its Changing Places assisted accessible toilet facility, supplied and installed by Closomat, the UK’s leading provider of such disabled toilets. It means that anyone who needs help, be it from people or equipment, can visit the Gardens knowing there are appropriate facilities.
“We want to make Heligan as accessible as possible, and hopefully lead by example, so there was never a decision to be made as to whether we would install a Changing Places. The nature of Heligan, with its geography and historic buildings, means there are elements that we will always struggle to make accessible, but we could do this,” explained Sian Heason, Heligan Visitor Services Manager. “Closomat was recommended by other companies in the region that have already provided Changing Places: the service from its team was excellent in helping deliver a great facility for our disabled visitors.”
The Lost Gardens’ Changing Places is even bigger than the ideal laid down in British Standards (BS8300:2018), being 13.5m2. Within, it features a ceiling track hoist and mobile height adjustable adult sized changing bench, alongside the conventional fixtures in a wheelchair-accessible toilet.
Located within the venue’s main toilet facilities, it is accessed via RADAR key. The Changing Places compliments a raft of further accessibility features at Heligan, including free wheelchair hire, mobility scooters and free entry to personal assistants/carers.
Adds Kelvin Grimes, Closomat away from home project manager, “The perception is that wheelchair-accessible toilets meet the need, but a large number of the 20% of the UK population registered disabled can’t use those facilities: they need more space, and/or extra equipment.
“They don’t go to a venue if they think they cannot access suitable toilet facilities. Providing appropriate toilets, such as Changing Places, means those people who need help CAN now visit a venue. The increase in visitor numbers is not just the person who needs the enhanced toilets, but their carer(s), and often friends, families too.”
Closomat is Britain’s leading provider of helpful toileting solutions, at home and away, including Changing Places. Uniquely, the company can provide an in-house, ‘one- stop-shop’ complete package for ‘away from home’ assisted accessible toilet facilities, from design and commissioning, through to project management, supply and installation, and can also provide subsequent maintenance and repair.
Its website www.clos-o-mat.com is the ‘go to’ resource available for campaigners, providers and specifiers alike, with a raft of support information including white papers, calling cards, CAD blocks, NBS specifications, video and case studies.
