Movement Management Lifts Improve Access At New Retail Development

A visit to a major new retail outlet in West Yorkshire is easy for everyone. The development includes three Movement Management platform lifts, giving all members of the public easy access to all services.

Jeff Knott, Facilities Manager at the Yorkshire Mill Village explains. "When they planned the development, the Directors wanted to ensure that every visitor would have equal access to all of the Villages facilities. We have plenty of disabled only parking spaces and amenities for the disabled on both floors." The "Village" is a redevelopment of an old cotton mill and, as such, provided special access problems inside the building. Tenanted and concessionary shops are on two floors of the Mill and there are also changes of level within each floor. Jeff Knott explains. "In the menswear department, on the ground floor, there is a small flight of three steps up to the shoe section. Similarly, on the upper floor there are three steps up to the restaurant area. In both cases, building a ramp for disabled access was not possible. Short travel platform lifts provide an ideal solution"

Two Supreme lifts from Movement Managements Companion range have been installed to overcome the barrier, to both wheelchair users and parents with push chairs, that these two short flights of steps present.

A spokesman for the consultants, who specified the Movement Management products, outlines the reason behind their decision. He says. "We wanted to be confident that the lift supplier would be able to provide comprehensive support to such a prestigious site as the Yorkshire Mill Village. Movement Management, as a division of Otis, were able to demonstrate their expertise as a major player in the platform lift market and gave me that confidence." The Supreme was chosen because of its aesthetically pleasing design and the fact that it is also very straightforward to install. It is a free standing structure that does not need a pit, which means that there is no access to the underside of the lift. This is an important safety feature, when a lift is installed in such a public location. It also ensures that any building work is kept down to a minimum.

Besides looking good, the Companion Supreme, which can be used for internal or external applications, is simply operated via a 240v electricity supply. It can travel to a maximum height of 2000mm and with its generous sized platform can easily accommodate a wheel chair passenger and attendant. Safety of course is very important and the Supreme, like all other lifts in the companies product range, meets the stringent requirements of Part M of the UK Building Regulations, European safety standards and the Machinery Directive.

Commenting on the platform lifts, Jeff Knott says. "We are extremely happy with the lifts. They are very convenient and easy to use and can easily hold two people. Since their installation, we have had very few problems, as the lifts are very simple to maintain."

In addition to the two Supreme lifts, Movement Management also provided a Companion Prestige platform lift to provide alternative access between the ground and upper floor, a travel height of 3665mm. The Prestige is designed for travel up to three storeys indoors and is supplied complete with an integral shaft, which is capped and lit as standard. It is Movement Managements most popular platform lift, with more than two hundred units installed in the last eighteen months.