ACCESSIBILITY POLICY
CONTACT DETAILS:
Address: The Old School, Little Compton, nr. Moreton in Marsh, Glos. GL56 0SL
Tel no: +44 (0)1608 674 588
Mobile no: +44 (0) 7831 098 271
Emergency 24-hour contact number: as above
E-mail address: wendy@theoldschoolbedandbreakfast.com
Website: www.theoldschoolbedandbreakfast.com
Grid reference / location map: SP 257299
Contact: Wendy Veale (owner and manager)
Availability: We are open all year but may take occasional holidays and days off.
The Old School was built in 1854 servicing Little Compton and surrounding villages. Now converted to our home and B&B, whilst we aim to meet the needs of all our guests, there are still some period features typical of a Victorian school that might make access difficult for people with limited mobility. Please ask if you have any specific needs and we will do all we can to help.
We are sorry that The Old School is not suitable for families with babies, children under 12 (unless the whole house is booked by the one group/family) or wheelchair users. Regrettably too, we cannot accommodate pets.
PRE-ARRIVAL:
We are located on the A44 on the Chastleton lane across from the village. Whilst located close to a main road there is limited public transport so our location is not ideal for those travelling without a car who wish to explore the area independently.
The nearest railway station servicing the Great Western London Paddington to Hereford line is Moreton in Marsh (4 miles) and Kingham (5.5 miles)
Taxis are usually available at the station and one can be booked in advance.
The nearest shop is in Moreton in Marsh – a Tesco Express offers extended opening hours.
The nearest petrol station is on the Fosse Way, Moreton in Marsh.
Just a 5-minute stroll across the field is our local Inn The Red Lion, serving food all nights bar Sunday and Monday.
Correspondence can be provided in large print if required. Regretabbly, we do not have the facilities provide documents in Braille.
Our website www.theoldschoolbedandbreakfast.com has clear pictures of our accommodation and of the services we provide.
The house is strictly non-smoking throughout. Smokers are requested to request an ashtray to smoke outdoors, away from open windows and doors, at all times.
ARRIVAL & CAR-PARKING:
Please advise us of your anticipated time of arrival. Check in is from 4.00pm – 6.00pm. Earlier or later arrival may be possible by arrangement.
Ample off-road parking is on a large gravelled area at the back of the house. The entrance to the car park is via the drive at the side of the house then through a 5-bar gate. The parking area is well lit at night. We can accommodate up to 12 cars.
On arrival guests may choose to park outside the main front door at the side of the house and ring the bell. This door is kept locked always and is only used to meet and greet. Once guests have checked in they are asked to park their car in a designated area and use the key provided for a back-guest door leading out to the parking area which should also be kept locked at all times.
We offer assistance with luggage both on arrival and departure.
Guests are shown around the house including the various public rooms and then to their bedroom. All facilities are explained.
On arrival guests are asked to fill in the registration card.
ENTRANCES:
There are three steps up to the front door and a bell to ring on your arrival. This door will be kept locked and guests are requested to use their own door leading out to the car park. This leads out onto wooden decking with one step down to a thickly gravelled parking area. Keys are provided to all guests for this door and their bedroom door.
Security lighting comes on at night. A low wattage light is kept on in the lobby area, the hall and staircase all night. There is emergency lighting in the hall in the event of power failure. The front door also has a porch light on during the evening only. Most rooms including the public areas have an emergency light /torch plugged into a socket.
GUEST ACCOMMODATION – PUBLIC AREAS:
The hall leads out to the guest entrance/exit door and a small utility room which has a sink and water, washing machine, tumble dryer and facilities for hanging, cleaning / drying wet or muddy clothes. First aid kits and a shoe-cleaning box are also located there.
The hall leads to a carpeted cloakroom with 2 steps down to the WC. There are no handrails, hoists or baby changing facilities.
The hall has a small open fireplace, currently not in use.
The hall leads to the ground floor bedroom ‘Reed’.
The hall leads to the carpeted living/dining room via a narrow school corridor. There is a step up into the dining room.
The owners’ private facilities are off the hallway through the kitchen.
There are three further bedrooms upstairs (please see Bedrooms section)
The hall has polished wooden flooring.
The house is centrally heated throughout with the thermostat positioned in the hall. Temperatures can be adjusted within each room at the point of the radiator to suit individual needs.
A carpeted stairway (12 steps) without a handrail leads from the hall up to a landing area with wooden flooring and a large rug. Here is a desk, writing material and drawers containing local maps and tourist information.
‘Kingham’ bedroom is on this landing, with one step down into the room.
Two steps lead up to a landing corridor to the sitting room and one guest bedroom ‘Dormer’ and also to a public cloakroom. A small staircase - 7 steps - leads to the top bedroom door ‘Kitebrook’ with a further 7 steps to the bedroom.
All public rooms and bedrooms have fire rated doors – the bedrooms and sitting room being self-closing.
Ceiling mounted audible smoke detectors are installed throughout the house in all rooms and public areas.
SITTING ROOM AND DINING/LIVING ROOM:
Guests are welcome to use the sitting room and dining/living room at any time.
Spot lights, lamps and dimmer switches offer good but flexible lighting as well as plenty of natural daylight.
The carpeted living/dining room has 3 settees, coffee tables and a large dining table where all meals are served. There are two emergency exits in this room leading out to the front of the house.
The carpeted sitting room is on the first floor and has a wood-burning stove. There are 2 settees and a coffee table, assorted books and board games in the first area. A step leads down to 3 settees, a large coffee table, a round table and reading material etc.
A fire escape via the sitting room velux window leads out onto a flat roof and metal fire escape ladder to the side of the house.
BEDROOMS AND EN SUITES:
The bedrooms have fitted carpets, the bathrooms vinyl flooring and fare furnished to a high standard. Glass protects all wooden surfaces.
All entrance room doors have locks and keys. The door opening width is the standard 2’6’’.
Bedrooms have an alarm clock, torch, hairdryer, flat screen TV/radio, fan heater, cooling tower, magazines and books,
Tea and coffee making facilities are provided including a small refrigerator, fresh milk and bottled water, biscuits and hot chocolate, herbal teas, coffees and decaffeinated.
All bathrooms offer quality toiletries, tissues, cotton wool pads and buds, air freshener, fly spray, towels, slippers, bathrobes, rubber bath mats and very hot high-pressure water.
Please see individual bedrooms for bathroom spec.
Beds are super-king size and all bedding is non-feather, a hypoallergenic quality topper, a duvet, 4 medium firm pillows and Egyptian cotton sheets. If you prefer blankets please let us know when booking.
Wardrobes offer 12 wooden clothes hangers, disposable laundry bags, a clothes brush, spare blankets, and disposable shoe shine cloths.
There is a folder in each bedroom that provides further helpful local information and a welcome letter on arrival.
Bed 1 Reed is on the ground floor. It has a fitted wardrobe, an upholstered chair. There is narrow access either side of the bed, bedside cabinets and lamps. The refrigerator is concealed in the wardrobe. A door leads into a large bathroom with a bath, washbasin, toilet and a separate shower cubicle with a step up into it, a heated towel rail, mirror with shaver socket and light, and an extractor.
Bed 2 Kingham is on the first-floor landing area. It has large mirrored fitted wardrobes, an upholstered chair, a dressing table and chair, access either side of the bed with bedside tables and lamps. The en suite comprises of a 1300mm double shower, toilet and washbasin, mirrored cabinet, heated towel rail. The refrigerator is concealed in a pine unit.
Bedroom 3 Dormer is on the first-floor corridor leading to the sitting area. It offers a dressing table, two upholstered chairs, dressing table and access to either side of the bed with bedside tables and lamps, dimmer switches and overhead reading spotlights. Two steps down leads to a doorway to a dressing room with hanging rails, shelving and a unit housing the fridge and tea making facilities. Another door leads to the shower room that has a walk-in shower cubicle, washbasin and toilet, heated towel rail and extractor fan.
Bedroom 4 Kitebrook is on the top floor reached by 2 further small flights of stairs. The bedroom door is at the top of flight one and then a second flight takes you to a private landing area with a cupboard housing the fridge and tea / coffee making facilities, a landing area with luggage rack, a door leading to the bathroom and an archway leading into the bedroom. Windows are Velux with secondary night/ sun blinds and curtains. The small ‘bell’ window has a remote controlled black-out blind. A three-quarter length wardrobe mounted on wooden drawers, a full-length mirror, a small upholstered chair, access to either side of the bed, bedside table and lamps, a console table with mirror. The bed is a ‘zip and link’ for either 2x3ft single beds or a super king-size double. The bathroom has a moulded bath with a shower cubicle and power shower overhead, fitted shower screen, toilet and washbasin.
GARDENS:
A gravel parking area leads to formal and informal gardens with seating areas and umbrellas. Please ask for additional chairs, rugs etc. Beyond the formal garden an archway leads to a paved area with a raised pond, further garden tables and benches. This leads into an orchard / wild garden planted with fruit trees, home to hens, bantams, ducks and rabbits. There is also deep man-made duck pond and a composting area.
Children are not allowed into this area and signs clearly state ‘No unauthorised entry’ unless I have agreed and adults are in control of children.
An area of garden is suitable for croquet, games and also the erection of a small marquee if required for special occasions.
Once the school toilets, brick sheds and storage offer housing for bicycles and other equipment if required, please ask before arrival, if you need anything locking up securely. Our animal feed-store and general tool shed are also located here and kept padlocked.
The front garden is reached via a bolted gate and we do ask guests not to use this area as gates are bolted for security.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:
Please refer to fire escape procedures in your bedroom and in the public rooms when you arrive. In the event of a fire we will blast a horn three times. Please advise us if you have hearing impediment and might not hear this.
The building can be evacuated via the Velux window in the sitting room to the fire escape, via the Velux window in Kitebrook to the roof area and flat roof and fire escape, via the 2 emergency doors in the dining/living room or the front or back door leading out from the hall. Please keep your bedroom doors shut at all times, as these are fire rated doors and will contain fire and smoke damage.
We do not permit smoking in the house or the use of candles / naked flames.
Mobile networks can prove difficult. Please ask to use our landline phone if necessary.
Wireless Internet is provided but please bring your own laptop.
Please let me know of any special dietary requirements. Please refer to our website. We are unable to cater for anyone with nut allergies as we do use nuts in the kitchen.
PLANS FOR THE OLD SCHOOL:
This beautiful building closed as a school in 1996 and has since been renovated in stages to its existing high standard. Internal structural work, full redecoration, and a high- pressurised plumbing system was installed in April 2007 ensuring hot water to all corners of the house.
A new boiler has been installed (2016) to offer the best eco-friendly boiler and savings on oil consumption.
Conversion to low energy lighting is always on-going.
Fire extinguishers are supplied in all bedrooms and on the landing, hall, sitting room and dining room.
Other plans are to reinstate the full fire alarm system and boards.
PAT testing of all electrical equipment annually.
Constant decoration, refurbishment and snagging.
Further lighting will be installed around the garden.
This access statement was produced in March 2018 and will be updated twice yearly.