The Old Ale House

Access Statement

Coastal Retreats want to make everyone’s stay as enjoyable as possible, and are committed to providing suitable
access for all our guests, whatever their individual needs. We aim to accurately describe our facilities and services to
give you the confidence to book the right property for you. There is a full description together with photos and a
video tour of the property on our website www.coastalretreats.co.uk
ACCESS STATEMENT FOR THE OLD ALE HOUSE
At a Glance
• This is a two-storey property.
• It sleeps five and has two bedrooms and one bathroom.
• No bedrooms on the ground floor and two bedrooms on the first floor.
• The kitchen, dining and living space has split level access and stairs to the first floor.
• There are parking spaces for three cars, directly outside.
• The front entrance has sloping stepped access. The outdoor space has stepped access.
• Externally there is a rear garden with stepped access.
• Dogs are permitted in the property.
• No smoking or vaping is permitted in the house.
Pre-Arrival
• The property is best reached by car. It is situated in Dunstan Village near Craster. There is a driveway to the
front of the cottage and parking spaces in front of the house. The front door is accessed via the driveway and
there is a key safe by the door at 135cm height.
• Public transport; the property can be reached by rail, the nearest mainline railway station is eight miles
away. https://www.coastalretreats.co.uk/activities/how-to-get-here/
• Taxis are available from the station. A list of taxi companies can also be found via our website link above.
• Information about local bus services can be found on the Northumberland coast bus service website
http://www.northumberlandcoastaonb.org/getting-around/
• Local food partner Food Heaven (www.foodheaven.co.uk) can deliver and unpack groceries prior to your
arrival and items can be ordered up to 48 hours before arrival. Other supermarkets deliver to the area.
Alnwick (eight miles away) has large supermarkets, small independent shops, garages and all the local
amenities.
• The brochure is printed in standard font size with pictorial representations of the main features. Our aim
with the design of our website, is to make it as easy to use and understand as possible. We want visitors with
disabilities to be able to gain the same benefit from using our website as those who are able-bodied.
• Mobile phone reception may be poor within this area and we cannot guarantee a full signal.
• There is WiFi and a landline phone but the functioning of these cannot be fully guaranteed and any external
fault is beyond our control.
• The nearest NHS walk-in centre is in Ashington, which is 30 miles away, and the nearest A&E unit is in
Cramlington, which is 37 miles away. The nearest doctor’s surgery is seven miles away in Alnwick. Further
information is in the welcome folder.
Access to the Property
The car parking is approximately three metres from the entrance and the front door is accessed via a gravel
driveway. There are no handrails or ramps on the approach to the building. The drive is eight metres wide and
provides a sloping access.
Entrance to Property
• From the car, the front door is accessed via a gravel driveway. There are no handrails or ramps on the
approach to the property.
• The door is side hung and manual and the width is 77cm with a step of 12cm over the thresh of the front
door.
• Once inside the surface is wood and the area is fully lit by a ceiling pendant light.
Any other comments and relevant information; the light switch to the right of the door is 140cm height.
Halls, Stairs, Landings, Passageways
• The entrance hallway areas are lit by ceiling pendant lights and the floor is covered by wood and there are
15 stairs leading to the first floor.
• The stairs are carpeted and are beige stripe in colour, the walls have been decorated in a white colour.
• The width of the passageway is 85cm.
Sitting Room/Lounge
• The living room is accessed from the hallway with a door opening of 76cm and is furnished with 1 x 3 and 1 x
2 seater sofas.
• It is all on one level with no steps and the floor is covered in wood.
• The walls have been decorated a white colour.
• There is one coffee table located in the centre of the room.
• There is a log burning stove and radiators to heat the room.
• The room is compact with sufficient space to move around.
• There is a digital TV which has full digital access/subtitles, the TV rests on a cupboard.
• Lighting is natural daylight with a mix of ceiling pendants and table lamps.
Any other comments and relevant information; there is a bookshelf effect feature wall.
Dining Area
• The dining area is situated in the kitchen with stepped access via a door which is 75cm wide and it has a tiled
floor.
• The dining room floor is tiled which is dark grey colour and the walls have been decorated in a white colour.
• Seating around the table is for six people, with upright chairs without arms. A wheelchair can easily be pulled
up to the table if needed.
• The dining table has legs on each corner, which are 76cm from floor to lowest point of table (under space)
and is 76cm high. Lighting is natural daylight with ceiling pendant lights.
Any other comments and relevant information; there is a 14cm step inside the kitchen dining area doorway.
Kitchen
• The door opening to the kitchen is from the living room and the opening width is 75cm.
• The kitchen has stepped access with a tiled floor.
• The kitchen is fully equipped with a cooker, microwave, fridge/freezer and dishwasher.
• The door of the oven drops down and is side opening and the handles are 74cm and 47cm above the floor.
The hob is 91cm above the floor.
• The worktop and sink are 89cm above the floor. The wall cupboards are 125cm high.
• The sink taps are lever taps.
• The highest shelf in the fridge is 85cm and the lowest drawer in the freezer is 111cm.
• The kitchen is lit by ceiling pendant lights.
• The kitchen flooring is tiled which is dark grey in colour and the walls have been decorated in a white colour.
Any other comments and relevant information; there is a 14cm step inside the doorway.
Bedrooms and Sleeping Areas
General Information
• There are no ground floor bedrooms.
• On the first floor there are two bedrooms comprising of one king size bed and sofa bed without ensuite, one
twin bedroom and one family bathroom, which are reached by 15 stairs.
Specific bedroom information (one for each bedroom)
Bedroom one is on the first floor and has a king size bed and a sofa bed
• The clear door opening into the bedroom is 78cm wide.
• The height of the bed from floor to mattress top is 56cm and the sofa bed is 38cm high.
• The space to the side of the bed is 80cm.
• There are two bedside tables which are 44cm high.
• Lighting is via a mix of ceiling pendant and bedside table lamps.
• Flooring is carpet and light brown in colour, with white coloured walls.
• There is one wardrobe and five drawers and storage space. The wardrobe rails are 176cm high and they
cannot be adjusted.
• Bedding is hypo-allergenic.
• There is a digital TV.
• See photos and video tour on our website for more details.
Any other comments and relevant information; there is a check pattern feature wall.
Bedroom two is on the first floor and has twin single beds
• The clear door opening into the bedroom is 76cm wide.
• The height of the bed from floor to mattress top is 60cm.
• The space to the side of the bed is 30cm.
• There is one bedside table which is 45cm high.
• Lighting is via a mix of ceiling pendant and bedside table lamps.
• Flooring is carpet and light brown in colour, with white coloured walls.
• There is one wardrobe and five drawers and storage space. The wardrobe rails are 162cm high and they
cannot be adjusted.
• Bedding is hypo-allergenic.
• There is no digital TV.
• See photos and video tour on our website for more details.
Any other comments and relevant information; there is a check patterned feature wall.
Family bath/shower room is on the first floor
• Entrance is all on one level with a clear door opening width of 60cm.
• The shower is separate and has a raised lip of 20cm.
• The shower has a hinged door and has not got a detachable shower head.
• Height of the WC floor to seat is 43cm.
• Wash basin height is 85cm with a pedestal under the sink.
• All taps are twist taps.
• There is no shelf over the sink.
• There is no grab rail.
• The bathroom is lit with ceiling spot lights.
• It has tiled flooring which is dark grey in colour with white coloured and tiled walls.
• For a photo please see the website.
Laundry/Utility Room
• The utility room is situated off the kitchen with level access via a door access of 66cm.
• Floor width is 90cm and tiled which is dark grey in colour and the walls are white in colour.
• The height of the washing machine door is 70cm from the floor.
• The room is lit with a ceiling light.
Garden
• The garden area can be found to the rear of the property which is accessed immediately from the kitchen via
a door with a step of 12cm and clear access width of 78cm into the rear porch, followed by one step of
12cm, with door access of 69cm out into the garden.
• The areas within the garden are flat.
• It has a gravel area.
• Table and seating are in this area, which is not suitable for a wheelchair to pull up to with a table height of
77cm. There are four chairs which are bench type chairs.
• The width of the footpaths are 100cm and the surface is gravel.
• There is some outside lighting which are manual switch lights.