Fully glazed platform lift the aesthetic choice for listed building

The operators of Smithfield Market, located in London city centre, needed a platform lift as part of a refurbishment project. They wanted an attractive, freestanding unit as it would be visible to the public. movemanSKG’s Prestige A401 was the perfect solution.

“The client wanted glazing in all four faces of the shaft, but you can’t do this with traditional screw driven lifts because the mechanism runs down one side,” commented John Anderson, movemanSKG’s Sales Engineer who consulted on the project.

“Prestige A401 is different because it features a belt-drive system, which means the self-supporting enclosure can be glass on all four sides. This makes it extremely visually appealing and ideal for use in public venues like Smithfield Market.”

Smithfield Market is the largest wholesale meat market in the UK and one of the largest of its kind in Europe. Located within the Square Mile of the City of London it is housed in three listed buildings. It is a place packed with history – there has been a livestock market on the site for over 800 years – and yet it is as modern as tomorrow with state of the art facilities for the receiving, storing and dispatching of meat and poultry.

The market’s Prestige A401 travels 5.1m and allows those with disabilities to travel between stores on the ground level to trader offices above. It has powered doors, making it easier for wheelchair users to enter and exit the lift, and an intercom.

Prestige A401 is freestanding to keep construction work associated with its installation to a minimum. This makes the planning process easier, which is useful if the site has a listed status like Smithfield Market.

Smithfield Market’s unit has a stainless steel finish, which complements the shaft glazing perfectly. Overall it is a handsome, contemporary lift and means customers and traders with mobility difficulties can access all areas of the premises.

Prestige A401 lifts 400kg up to 13 metres and has a 1100 x 1500mm platform, big enough to carry a wheelchair user plus an attendant. It operates quietly and economically and is ideal for use in buildings of historic interest.