Project
The five-year project to restore and reinvent the Grade II listed Bodmin Jail from its derelict state into a luxury boutique hotel and leading visitor attraction required the installation of disability access lifts.

Access solution
Platform Lift Company’s expertise was called upon by the main contractor, CField Construction, to provide a two-stop vertical platform lift for the historic 18th century building and the new stone gabion clad ‘Dark Walk’ experience building.

A platform lift was required to create step free access from the entrance level of the new building to the lowest level of the ‘Dark Walk’ experience. The appearance of the product needed to blend in with the theme of the buildings which transport visitors back to Cornwall’s murky past.

The Platform Lift Company built a bespoke platform lift in a matt black finish to meet the specification. The hydraulic platform lift complete with a self-supporting shaft was installed using a ramp system to avoid digging a pit into the floor which had already been constructed as part of the new building.

When visitors reach the original jail building from the ‘Dark Walk’ experience, they are taken up a level which is accessed by stairs. A platform lift would overcome this architectural barrier but limited space within the 18th century building presented a challenge.

The Platform Lift Company proposed the Motala 2000 because of its small external footprint. This model of lift fitted the available space and could provide the 4 metres of travel needed to reach the upper floor.

With no modifications required, a standard white platform lift was installed. The clean appearance of the lift remains sensitive to its historic setting and clearly shows modern intervention has been successfully used to enable the building to be accessible.

Results
Both the platform lifts were installed within the given timeframe and fulfilled the architectural and structural requirements of the new and old buildings.