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Leighton Hall Access Statement

INTRODUCTION

Leighton Hall is located 3 miles from Junction 35 of the M6, and is accessed by following the brown tourism signs up the A6 and through the village of Yealand Conyers.

Plenty of parking is available on arrival, approximately 100 metres from the front door. Blue badge holders are invited to park as near the front door as possible. The designated car park is on grass and the coach park on a tarmac surface.

The Hall is open to the public from the beginning of May to the end of September from 2pm to 5pm. Also Bank Holiday Sundays and Mondays. Plus Sundays in August. Pre-booked groups of 20+adults and children are welcome throughout the year. All visits must be pre-booked through the website www.leightonhall.co.uk.

Entry to the Hall is via three shallow steps at the front door. There is a ramp to enable wheelchair access.

The tour of the Hall covers two floors, with stair access only to the first floor. Visitors are guided round the hall in groups and you should allow approximately 1.5 hours to hear the full story. Tours take place at various times throughout the afternoon, and for group visits can also be pre- booked in the morning if required.

There are no roped off areas and visitors are encouraged to explore the different rooms, ask questions and to touch items where appropriate. For those that find standing for long periods difficult, there are chairs available in each room and a wheelchair available to loan, free of charge.

There is also an accessible loo within the hall.

A bird of prey flying display is included in the ticket price and takes place (weather permitting) at 3:30pm on open days during the Summer season.

The gardens are nearby and look their best from late Spring to early Autumn. Along with the tea garden, they are accessible for wheelchairs. The adjacent woodland walk and nature trail is accessible for electric wheelchairs but due to the uneven nature of the woodland path would be difficult for a manual chair.

The Tea Room and Gift Shop are also accessed from the garden with plenty of outdoor furniture for visitors to enjoy tea outside on sunny days.

Members of staff are on duty throughout the day to welcome you and offer any assistance you may require. For any queries or if you require assistance, please telephone 01524 734474 or email info@leightonhall.co.uk

MAIN ENTRANCE, RECEPTION & TICKETING AREA
  • The main entrance and ticket box are located at the gate beside the parking area. The ground is fairly level, although there are number of different surface to cover before completing access to the Hall and grounds i.e. grass underfoot in the car park, tarmac on the driveway and coach park and loose limestone gravel on the terrace.
  • Adequate signage directs blue badge holders to park on the terrace and warns visitors accessing via the pay box to avoid walking over the cattle grid.
  • The paybox has a clear window which is open in good weather to enable visually or hearing impaired visitors ease of communication.
  • All visits must be booked online and paid for in advance on our secure web page. www.leightonhall.co.uk.
  • There is a wheelchair for use free of charge. It should be booked in advance and will be waiting on your arrival at the paybox.
  • The pay box is manned from 1:30pm on open days.
ACCESS STATEMENT 2021 ATTRACTIONS (tour of hall, displays, exhibits, rides etc.)
  • On arrival, visitors will be greeted by one of the guides and given times of the various tours available during the afternoon.
  • Access to the Hall is via a couple of shallow steps, with handrails located on each side of the main front door. A wheelchair ramp is available at both the entrance and exit point of the tour, and the whole of the ground floor is wheelchair accessible.
  • There are chairs available in all the rooms that visitors are welcome to use during the tour.
  • Visitors are also invited to ask questions and explore each room before moving on to the next.
  • Although the floor surface is flat throughout the ground floor, it is uneven in some places and visitors are made aware of this during the tour.
  • Part of the tour takes in a bedroom on the first floor which is accessed by a staircase with a good handrail. The first floor is not wheelchair accessible. In the case of visitors who are unable or who don’t feel like tackling the stairs, a member of staff will show them to the ground floor Music Room where the tour ends and they will be re-united with their group.
  • Lighting in the Hall is generally good, with a mixture of natural light and the brightest energy saver bulbs.
  • There is a bird of prey display at 3:30pm (weather permitting), on all our open days. This takes place in the parkland immediately in front of the house. Benches are available to sit on and priority is requested for those who might find standing a problem. The parkland and garden are fully accessible by wheelchair.
  • There is a small children’s play area in the garden at the start of the Woodland Walk. The equipment is inspected annually by the manufacturers. Parents and / or guardians must be fully responsible for the children in their care in the play area and at all times during their visit to Leighton.
  • The Woodland Walk leads out of the garden. The path is wide and can be negotiated with an electric wheelchair, but has an uneven stone surface with tree roots protruding in places and can become muddy, so is not recommended for manual wheelchair users.
  • For children, there is a Tree Face Trail and a Nature Trail with brass rubbings within the Woodland Walk and a Path Maze and Bee Corner in the Walled Garden. An activity pack and explanatory notes are given to each visiting child free of charge.
  • In addition to the above, there are also information boards in the Woodland Walk and Walled Garden.
PUBLIC TOILETS
  • Ladies and Gents Public loos are located in the “Tea” garden. They are easily accessed having no steps.
  • Flooring is non slip vinyl. Lighting is on a timer button switch.
  • The Ladies consists of 3 lockable loo cubicles with grab rails and sanitary facilities in each. Hooks on backs of doors for coats and bags. A large mirror is mounted on one wall.
  • There are two washbasins with hot and cold water, a soap dispenser and paper towels in a wall dispenser with bin below.
  • The Gents consists of one lockable loo cubicle with a grab rail and a stainless steel trough urinal.
  • Flooring is non slip vinyl. Lighting is on a timer button switch.
  • There is one washbasin with hot and cold water, a soap dispenser and paper towels in a wall dispenser with bin below. A large mirror is mounted on one wall.
  • The loos are cleaned on a daily basis and are checked during the time the house is open to the public.
  • Accessible disabled and baby changing toilet facilities are available in the main hall. There are signs in the public loos and Tea Room informing visitors of these facilities. 
CATERING
  • The Tea Rooms are situated on the lower ground floor of the Hall with step free access from the garden via a small gift shop.
  • From the self-service area, here are two entrances to the seating area, one by ramp and one by two steps. Staff are happy to help with carrying heavy trays if required.
  • The lighting is natural with overhead lighting to supplement on dull days.
  • The flooring in the Tea Rooms is a mixture of original stone flags and vinyl. On wet days this can become slippery, in which case yellow warning signs are used to make visitors aware.
  • On cold days an open wood fire is lit in the Tea Rooms. Visitors are protected by a fire guard, but parents and guardians must be fully responsible for their children.
  • All food on offer is freshly made and where possible locally sourced. Light lunches are available for booked groups and must be pre-ordered. Please see our website for details at www.leightonhall.co.uk
  • Our traditional tearooms are available to visitors during the hours the hall is open.
  • Choose from a delicious selection of home-made cakes, traybakes, cream scones and sandwiches, not forgetting coffee, tea and soft drinks.*
  • We also try and have a selection of gluten free, vegan and vegetarian options available. Enjoy your tea by an open fire on cold days, or outside in the garden when the weather is warmer.
  • As a treat or the perfect gift for a special occasion, how about booking yourself or a friend our full Afternoon Tea.

* Please note that all our cakes, scones and traybakes as well as other products may contain nuts or may have been in contact with nuts during their preparation. A full list of ingredients is available on request.

  • The nearest loos (described above) are approximately 50 metres away across the small tea garden.
SHOP
  • There is a small gift shop with a range of souvenirs and pocket money priced item. It can be accessed directly from the garden and also from the Tea Rooms.
  • The floor is stone flagged and level throughout with entrance and exit doors wide enough for wheelchair access.
  • Shop stock is displayed at different heights on a variety of shelves and stands. Staff are on hand to help with items that might be out of reach.
  • There is a plant stall outside the entrance to the shop. Plants can be taken from here and paid for either in the shop or tea room..
GROUNDS AND GARDENS
  • There is a large garden and woodland walk alongside the house with a variety of different surfaces and gradual inclines. They vary from gravel, cut grass, smooth limestone path and a natural earth path in the woodland walk. All areas are accessible, even for those with reduced mobility, but the Woodland Walk is not recommended for manual wheelchairs, although not impossible if you bring a strong able bodied person to help. Gravel paths can also be difficult for manual wheelchair users and staff are always on hand to help, if there is a problem.
  • The Woodland Walk has been designed in a loop that brings you back to where you started, unless you decide to follow the signs and turn into the Walled Garden along the way.
  • There are benches to rest on throughout the grounds and gardens (and wonderful views to enjoy!)
  • The small garden alongside the tea rooms has tables and chairs for use by visitors for tea in the garden on sunny days. It is a level grassed area with a small limestone flagged section on one side.
  • There is a small pond in the garden with a rose covered gazebo to one side and a limestone. Flagged base. The pond is fenced for safety, but parents and guardians must take responsibility for children at all times, and particularly when near the pond.
  • The flying area – where the Birds of Prey are exhibited – can be accessed from the garden by double width gates or from the terrace via a grass slope. The surface is mown grass and accessible for wheelchair users. There are several benches available for the audience to use.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
  • We welcome trained assistance dogs and a water bowl can be provided. We ask that owners are fully responsible for any mess their dog makes within the grounds. No other dogs are allowed in the grounds and gardens of the Hall, but they are welcome on leads in the Parkland and on the public footpaths that cross the park and estate. Shady parking and water is available.
  • If the fire alarm sounds during a visit, it will NOT be a practice. Visitors will be asked to leave the Hall and grounds in a safe manner and will be directed to the assembly point in the car park. The assembly point is on the grass so that the emergency services have full access to the Hall, and is clearly marked by the correct official signage. No staff or visitors will be permitted on the drive to avoid blocking any access points.
  • Emergency Fire Procedure for the Hall is available on request.
  • There is a member of staff trained in Basic Level First Aid.
  • We are Covid compliant to current government guidelines and regulations. Advice, and a copy of our T’s and C’s can be found on our website and on your ticket.
CONTACT INFORMATION

Address:
Leighton Hall, Carnforth, Lancashire LA5 9ST Telephone: 01524 734474

Email:
info@leightonhall.co.uk

Website:
www.leightonhall.co.uk

Hours of Operation:

Office hours:
9am– 5pm. Monday – Friday (Please use answering machine or email out of hours)

Public Opening:
May – September.

Summer Season:
2pm – 5pm. Also open Bank Holiday Sundays and Mondays and on Sundays in August only. Please check website for open days and special events.

Throughout the Year:
We are delighted to open the house and welcome pre-booked groups of 20+ throughout the year. Please see our website for details of various packages available. All visits to the hall must be pre-booked via our website.