The Sands Seafront Apartments

Notes

Access Information The Sands - Sea Front Apartments Access Statement We strongly recommend that you contact us prior to arrival to discuss any special requirements that we can then endeavor to have in place for your holiday with us. • A bus service is available ten metres from The Sands' entrance, and all buses are accessible. • It is a 5 minute bus ride to the town centre and a 10-15 minute walk up a hill. • The train station is located in the town centre. • A specialist accessible taxi service is available locally. • Mobility equipment is available locally. Arrival & Car Parking Facilities • Guests can access The Sands through the entrance directly off the secure car park, and proceed through two automated doors to Reception, which is on the ground floor. • The intercom at the entrance to the car park is linked directly to Reception, which is in Kepwick House, where assistance is available if required. Alternatively, guests can use the beachside entrance to Reception which, again, is accessible to wheelchair users. • There is a dropped kerb just by the entrance to the car park. • Each apartment is allocated one parking space. More parking spaces are often possible by prior arrangement. • Disabled parking spaces are available, close to the entrance to the building. • Paths to the entrance are tarmac with some paving - all are level. • There is a security barrier to the car park, for which guests are provided with a fob. • All signage is clear and some of it is tactile. Dog bowls are available on request. • The car park and route to the building is well-lit at night. • The walk between Lockton and Kepwick House is paved, lit and has one security gate, which is operated by the guests' key fob. Main Entrance, Reception & Ticketing Area • From both the car park and the beachside entrance, there are no steps to Reception, where seating is provided, and a pad and pen are available on request. An adapted WC is also located by Reception. • Assistance is available for filling in a short registration form, which can be done seated. • The Reception desk is 73 cm high, and has no windows behind or in front of it. • There is some contrast between critical surfaces, with a dark carpet and light walls. • Reception is well-lit. • Any guests with communication difficulty, please inform Reception upon booking, where we will make specific arrangements suited to the individual prior to arrival, using an accessible form of communication. • The building is mainly carpeted, with the exception of a section beyond the second set of automated doors en route to Reception from the car park, which is tiled. Reception will be happy to assist where needed. • A familiarisation tour is available where required. Please ask at Reception. Public Areas - Hall, Stairs, Landing, Corridors etc • All floors in both Lockton and Kepwick Houses are accessible by both lift and stairs. • The lifts have automatic doors and low, tactile buttons also in braille, and are also talking lifts. • One lift in Kepwick House measures 107 cm by 145 cm. • The second lift (by B stairs) in Kepwick House measures 107cm by 213.36 cm. • The lift in Lockton House measures 107 cm by 213.36 cm. • Each lift has one mirrored wall and two chrome walls. • There is an emergency call button, which reaches a 24 hour monitoring station and alerts the Management. • All public areas are brightly lit either by natural or electric light. • The signage around The Sands is clear. • The staircases are all carpeted and have handrails in a contrasting colour to the surroundings. • The stairs measure 155 cm x wide, with a 17.5 cm rise and a 27 cm tread, and the edge of the stairs is highlighted in a contrasting colour. • Adapted WCs are available in Reception and in the Gymnasium. Public Areas - Sitting room, lounges, lobbies etc • As our apartments are all self-contained, the number of public areas is minimal. The Roof Terrace and Gymnasium are both dealt with later in the document, under Outdoor Facilities and Leisure Facilities, respectively. Public WCs • An adapted WC is located just off the main Reception area, along a short corridor. • The room measures approximately 250 x 180 cm, and contains a WC and basin, leaving much available floor space. • There is also an adapted WC located within the Gymnasium in Kepwick House. • The facilities are both unisex and have an emergency pull cord to alert staff. • The flooring is non-slip. Leisure Facilities • The Gymnasium is located within Kepwick House. It is accessible 7am – 10pm daily, and has an adapted WC. • It is well-lit as well as having plenty of natural light from its large windows. • The equipment available is as follows: • Rowing Machine •Cross Trainer •Exercise Bike •Running Machine •Exercise Ball •Free Weights etc Bathroom, Shower-room & WC [Ensuite or Shared] • Each one-bedroomed apartment has one bathroom, whilst the two and three beds have one en suite and a main bathroom. The bathrooms are of similar dimensions, roughly 160 x 180 cm, though please contact us in advance if you wish to know the exact dimensions of your allocated apartment, and we will be happy to supply them. The W.C. seat is 41 cm from the floor. The basin is 80cm, and has a lever-operated mixer tap. The en suite has a shower, raised 23 cm from the bathroom floor. The shower dimensions are 60 x 110 cm. The floor is tiled though not non-slip. The main bathroom has a bath with shower facility connected to the bath taps. The side of the bath is 57 cm in height, measured from the bathroom floor. The bathroom is lit by spotlights. The door to the bathroom is 84cm wide. Self-Catering Kitchen • Each kitchen is located within the open-plan living space. Whilst layout varies slightly, all work surfaces are 91cm high, with a hob built-in at the same height. The cooker door is 108 cm from the floor. The fridge door is at approximately 106cm and the freezer is located below it, at ground level. The microwave is at approximately 130cm from the floor. The dining table is approximately 75cm in height. Both the kettle and toaster have automatic switch off. The kitchen has spotlights in the ceiling that provide a lot of bright coverage. The work surface is of contrasting colour to the floor. The kitchen tap is twist-operated. The kitchen flooring is tiled though, be aware that this is not non-slip. Additional Information • For any enquiries or assistance needed during your stay, please contact Reception, who will be happy to help. • Our evacuation procedure is clearly marked in the information packs within each room and by the lifts, and Reception will be happy to go through this with any guests. • Please do not use the lifts when the fire alarm is sounding. Emergency procedures for wheelchair users are detailed personally to guests upon arrival. • Guide/hearing dogs are welcomed. • The Sands operates a strict no smoking policy. • Network coverage for mobile phones is weak in some areas of The Sands. • There is no piped or background music anywhere in The Sands. • Each apartment has its own fridge, so medicines and special dietary foods can be stored personally. Hours of operation: Reception is manned between 8am and 6pm Sunday to Thursday, and 8am to 9pm Friday and Saturday. Telephone calls are received out-of-hours, though on occasions, response may be delayed until the morning. Future Plans • We are currently reviewing all areas to see where we can become more accessible for everyone.