Access Statement for The Chapel Guest House, Carthew, St. Austell
Arrival and Car Parking Facilities
We have free off road parking adjacent to the building in a level gravel surfaced area.
During the hours of darkness, the parking area and entrance are illuminated by exterior lights.
Assistance with luggage is always available.
Main Entrance & Reception Area
The entrance is accessed by a wheelchair friendly ramp or by two steps - one 24 cm, the other 15cm.
The front door (85 cm width) leads into our reception hall (4m x 2.5m), the first 1.5m of which is tiled. The welcome mat in this space is 1.5cm thick.
The remaining area is fitted with short pile carpet.
Seating is provided.
Public Areas – General (Internal)
The same carpet continues into the inner hall, stairs and landing areas. The inner hall (2m wide) leads to the ground floor dining room and stairs to first floor.
The stairs have six steps (each 18cm high, 25 cm deep and 78 cm wide) leading to a half landing then seven similar steps further to the first floor landing / corridor (1.95m wide, reducing to 95cm). There is a solid wooden handrail on the left hand side of the stairs.
All access doors are fire doors.
All public areas are well lit and the upstairs landing remains lit throughout the night.
Dining Room
Breakfast is served in the dining room which has short pile carpet and small tables which can offer flexibility of arrangement. Chairs (without arms) are easily rearranged and removable where necessary.
A baby's high chair is available.
Bedrooms & Sleeping Areas
We have one groundlfoor (wheelchair friendly) bedrrom (No. 5). All other bedrooms are one the first floor.
Bedroom 1 (first door at top of stairs) has a door width of 74cm with level threshold and is fitted with short pile carpet.
The bed is a 4ft 6inch metal framed accessible from both sides and is 62cm high.
Minimum width of space in the bedroom is 65cm and most spaces are considerably wider.
The ensuite facilities for room 1 are accessed through a bi-fold door with a width of 60cm. The floor is carpeted.
The shower cubicle (70cm quadrant design) has curved sliding doors providing an opening of 43cm width. The step into this shower is 28cm high.
The toilet is accessible from the front and the seat height is 40cm.
The pedestal washbasin’s rim is 83cm from the floor and the space below is 68cm tall.
Bedroom two (third door on the right from the top of the stairs) has a door width of 74cm with level threshold and is fitted with short pile carpet.
The room has two 3ft width single divan beds. These can be converted to form a 6ft wide superking bed when required. As a twin room, the beds are each accessible from both sides but space varies. One bed has a maximum distance from the wall of 55cm. The narrowest gap in the remainder of the room is 60cm. HOWEVER, all these gaps increase when the beds are converted to a superking double.
The ensuite facilities for room 2 are accessed through a bi-fold door with a width of 60cm. The floor is tiled.
The shower cubicle (70cm quadrant design) has curved sliding doors providing an opening of 43cm width. The step into this shower is 16cm high.
The toilet is accessible from both sides, though there is more space to the left side (42cm width) than the right side (32cm width).
The pedestal washbasin’s rim is 83cm from the floor and the underspace is 68cm tall.
Bedroom 3 (facing at far end of corridor from stairs) has a door width of 74cm with level threshold and is fitted with short pile carpet. It then has four steps down into the room (each 16cm in height) from a short landing area inside the door. The steps have a wooden handrail on both sides and are 91cm wide.
The bed is a 4ft 6inch wooden framed double bed, accessible from both sides, and 52cm high. There is also a metal framed, fold out sofa bed (normally used for seating) that can offer sleeping accommodation for younger children if required. This does, however, reduce the open space within the room.
The narrowest access point is 50cm wide.
This room has no ensuite facilities but has sole use of a private bathroom 4.85m along the corridor.
The bathroom is 3.72m long x 2.48m wide. It has a door width of 74cm and is tiled with 32cm square riven effect tiles (level access).
The bath side is 52cm high with one wall mounted handle on the far side. A non-slip bath mat is provided.
The shower is a 75cm square cubicle with an outward opening door 52cm wide. The step into the shower is 21cm high. The shower is an electric power shower with a pull cord to switch the power on.
The toilet is accessible from the left side only and is 42cm high.
The pedestal washbasin’s rim is 81cm from the floor and the underspace is 66cm tall.
Bedroom 4 (second room on the left, past the gallery landing) is a double, convertible to a family room with one or two single beds.
It has a door width of 74cm and has fitted short pile carpet. The rug (180cm x 122cm) in the central space stands 1.5cm higher.
The main bed is a metal framed, traditional style 4ft 6inch double, accessible from both sides and 58cm high. The daybeds can be made into full width 3ft single beds but only accessible from one side. They are then 48cm high.
The ensuite has a door width of 74cm. The floor has riven tiles (31cm square).
The shower cubicle (90cm quadrant design) has curved sliding doors opening to 48cm width. The step into this shower is 27cm high.
The toilet is accessible from the front with limited access from the sides (left side 30cm gap, right side 27cm gap) and is 41cm.
The pedestal washbasin’s rim is 84cm from the floor and the underspace is 68cm tall.
Bedroom 5 (our wheelchair accessible ground floor room) is a twin room with a full ensuite wetroom. The door width to the room is 72cm – wheelchair users should note a maximum wheelchair width of 70cm can be accommodated – and the room has a deep pile carpet. The beds are wooden framed 3ft singles, one of which is accessible from one side only. The area at the foot of the beds will allow a wheelchair to be turned and there is space to position a wheelchair alongside one of the beds. This bed is 54cm high. The other bed is 60cm high and the gap between the beds is 45cm. Ceiling lights in the bedroom and ensuite are operated by extended pull chords. There is also a full length mirror on one wall.
The ensuite (door width 84cm) is a fully tiled (33cm square riven tiles) wetroom with space to manoeuvre a wheelchair. The shower area (95cm x 95cm) is curtained and has a fold down seat (with folding armrests) and extended shower hose. There is the usual range of grab handles and the sink is at a height of 69cm and there is no pedestal so as to provide unencumbered access. The heated towel rail can be turned on or off by the high level switch. The toilet is accessible from the front and left side (by wheelchair). There is sufficient space to the right for a carer to help with access to the toilet. A fold down armrest on the left side also holds the toilet roll.
Grounds and Gardens
The garden area by the car park has recently been extended and is available for guests’ use, but the decking areas can be slippery when damp and guests should use caution. The gated access is from the drive and has a single step up (13cm).
The large table and chairs are on the decked area which is one step (14cm) up. Another (small) table and two chairs and a further (stone) bench, provide alternative seating in other parts of the garden the former being level access but the latter invoving one step up.
Additional Information
The house is, of course, a completely non-smoking area (smokers are welcome to use the grounds).
Medication which may need to be kept chilled can be placed in the guest fridge on the landing or (where necessary for those in the ground floor room) in the owners' fridge (by request).
The Chapel Guest House does not take pets. In the case of guide dogs, however, we are prepared to accept these, but guests should be aware of, and accept, the following limitations:-
- We do have a resident cat (called Duchess!).
- There are no facilities within our relatively small grounds to exercise dogs.
- The road outside the Chapel is narrow and has no pavement for at least 30 yards (and then on the opposite side) again restricting opportunity to exercise your dog.
Our Full Address is as follows:
The Chapel Guest House,The Old Chapel,
Carthew,
St Austell,
Cornwall, PL26 8XG
Telephone: 01726 851602
Email: bookings@thechapelguesthouse.co.uk
Website: www.thechapelguesthouse.co.uk
Future Plans
During 2011- 12 we plan to add heated towel rails to more ensuites and change the high level switch in room 5’s towel rail to a pull cord. The step into the garden will be removed to provide level access and simplify wheelchair access.
Contact Telephone and Email Address
We welcome your feedback to help us continually improve. If you have any comments please phone us on - 01726 851602
or send an email to - bookings@thechapelguesthouse.co.uk