Accessibility Statement:-
Boar's Head Ripley - An Access Consultant's Viewpoint:-
At the Boars Head, staff are encouraged "to wear a smile and make all guests feel welcome"- and it shows.
As an access consultant, I look for the enjoyment of a hospitality business by all, including those with disabilities, not making unsightly alterations that only draw attention to disabled people, and detract from the nature of the operation that attracted the visitor .
With a character property such as this, and appointments and furnishings that are sympathetic, and add to the comfort and ambience, everyone wishes to enjoy the experience. The intrinsic characteristics of the property design and layout restrict major alterations, but subtle yet important adaptations have been achieved here.
Several key staff have attended "Welcome All" training, so that they are not daunted by disabilities, and can recognise the right amount of assistance to be offered to disabled customers, as an integral part of customer service.
I may be a guest in the letting bedrooms, as a business delegate, or wedding/function guest at the nearby Ripley Castle, or just taking a leisure break. As a resident or visitor, I could be in the lounges or main dining room, or having lunch in the bar.
When approaching the hotel at the front, this is over a cobbled square, over which I could find some discomfort as an ambulant disabled person, but there is only one step into the main entrance. For a wheelchair user, there is a firmer surfaced, level car park to the rear, from where level access can be gained into the main hotel reception, bar restaurant and the annexe bedrooms adjoining. There is one marked disabled access car parking space.
The rear access to the bar restaurant is by way of narrow double doors, but are always wedged open, to allow sufficient width of access for a wheelchair user.
Checking in is very informal, with a low desk and adjoining chairs, and whilst there is no sound induction loop, this is a comparatively quiet area for hearing.
As a resident, I have choice of bedrooms on the first floor of the main hotel, or in the rear annexe, or in Birchwood House, just across the village street.
With my limited mobility, I could manage the wide stairs in the main hotel, although the wide moulded handrail on the original feature balustrade is a little difficult to grip for a person with a small hand or limited dexterity, and there is no other handrail. The stairs have firmly fitted carpets, are well lit but there are no colour identified step nosings.
The first floor bedrooms are spacious, but do not have any special adaptations. Alternatively, I could take one of the ground floor bedrooms in the annexe, that are on a level access, a little smaller, with a choice of en suite shower or bath, with hand grips and easy to handle cross top taps. The other option is Birchwood House which has its own car park to the rear, and a single step into the ground floor, where the bedrooms are particularly spacious, and have en suite bathroom, one with a free standing roll top bath. I may need help in and out of that, but the layout of the rooms is such that an assisted wheelchair user could also be comfortably accommodated here. The only downside is the route across the road to the hotel.
One ground floor bedroom in the annexe is designed as a bedroom suitable for an independent wheelchair user, with level access, good width doors, suitable turning circle space. As with all the bedrooms, there are twinnable zipper beds that can create more space, and an en suite bathroom, with reasonable circulation space, for access to the bath, with grab rails and shower over. There is an assistive grab rail behind the bath.
Each of the bedrooms has a larger, clear button telephone. To assist people with a hearing impairment, there can be available by request, in any of the bedrooms, a wireless sound induction loop system for the television, and a pillow vibrator alarm.
The ground floor of the hotel is compactly arranged, with short journeys between public rooms, but with good width doors for wheelchair access, with the exception of a slightly tricky turn into the bar restaurant.
The two very comfortable lounge have clusters of seating, discreetly offering a choice of types and height of seats with arms. It is here that staff take meal orders and can assess a guest's personal needs, enabling re-arrangement of the dining room table layout for a wheelchair user. The menu is available in large print, and staff are happy to read out the menu, or take time in these relaxed surroundings to communicate with a hearing impaired person.
The bar restaurant has an accessible arrangement of tables, with some chairs with arms, space for wheelchairs and there is a waiter service. The hotel dining room has plenty of space between and around tables, again having chairs with arms.
The ground floor has a disabled access toilet, with good circulation space for a wheelchair user to front or side transfer.
In conclusion, access features are not text book, but discreetly blend in well with the hotel's character, without spoiling the charm and comfort, and quality that attract everyone to the hotel.