Access Statement for The Victoria Hotel

Introduction

Our aim at The Victoria Hotel is to provide accommodation and food of a high quality. We are committed to delivering to all customers an excellent level of service, which we continually strive to improve. This access statement is a guide for potential visitors and we are happy to assist with any further queries you might have.

The hotel is an 18th century, detached building of beach flint and brick and still retains a lot of its Georgian features such as high ceilings, sash windows and various mouldings. It has ten bedrooms with ensuite bath/shower facilities, a bar and two dining rooms open to the public. Because of the age of the hotel, access to bedrooms and public areas is restricted. However, all members of staff at the hotel are willing, friendly and will endeavour at all times to assist or meet any request made by our guests and visitors.

Pre-Arrival
• The hotel can be contacted by email: victoria@holkham.co.uk, telephone: 01328 711008 or by fax: 01328 711009. Booking for accommodation or the restaurant is essential.
• The reception has answer phone facilities when unmanned. A brochure including tariff can be forward by post.
• Further information is also available on our website: www.victoriaatholkham.co.uk or on the Holkham Estate website: www.holkham.co.uk
• Holkham is located 2 miles west of Wells-next-the-Sea on the north Norfolk coast and the hotel is a few minutes walk from the beach and National Nature Reserve.
• Nearest main line rail stations are King’s Lynn (25 miles) or Norwich (30 miles) with a branch line to Sheringham (18 miles).
• The Coasthopper bus services stops in Holkham Village 40m from the hotel.
• The National Cycle Route No.1 runs through Holkham Park and the hotel has bicycle stands.
• Cycle hire is available locally (details from hotel reception).
• We can also be reached as a pedestrian by following the Norfolk Coastal Path and Peddars Way trail.
• Hotel access using a wheelchair is severely restricted and there is only one bedroom suitable for visitors with mobility difficulties.
• There is free wireless internet connection available.
• Our access statement is available by post, email and from our website as a downloadable PDF.

Arrival and Car Parking Facilities
• The hotel is situated on Park Road, a private road at the north gates of the Holkham Estate. The hotel is clearly visible at the junction of Park Road, with the A149 coast road from Wells-next-the-Sea running parallel to the north elevation.
• The hotel consists of two storeys, with bedrooms on the first and second floor. There is an additional ground floor room accessed from the adjacent, external courtyard.
• Public rooms include the bar and the AA 2 star rosette restaurant which are located on the ground floor. Internal decoration is of Rajastan influence.
• The hotel has an illuminated public house sign, as well as illuminated wall mounted signage.
• It is open all the year round but unmanned by staff after midnight. Later arrivals should advise reception in advance so that a member of staff can be advised to greet you on arrival.
• Porterage is available on request.
• Disabled visitors can park in a lay-by directly in front of the hotel (2.4 m wide x 20m long). This area is on a slight incline (0.6 in 10) and bounded on the roadside by a half round kerb (2.5cm high) and kerb edging stones 4cm high. It is surfaced with tarmacadam and stone chips. Signage for disabled use is clearly displayed. The area is well lit and covered by CCTV.
• Car parking is also available both sides of Park Road with signage delineating its use for hotel guests. The 3m wide strip of stone chipped tarmacadam is delineated from the road by half round kerb edging (2.5cm high) with brick garden walls forming the other boundary. All the area is on a slight incline and the distance to the front door can be from 6m to 75m+, dependent on where you park. Vehicles parked on the east side of Park Road will necessitate passengers crossing Park Road to access the hotel. This can be busy in summer months or during special events. This parking is not illuminated nor covered by CCTV.
• The hotel also has a large main car park (23m x 36m) surfaced with 22mm gravel with railway sleepers as car park edging. The car park is on an incline (0.5 in 20). Vehicle access is via a brick pillared entrance (3.78m wide) 60m from the front entrance of the hotel.
• There is a 26m boarded pedestrian walk way, on a slight incline (0.5 in 20) from the car park. This boardwalk has a maximum width of 3m and a minimum width of 1.4m with edge upstands of 3cm. During inclement weather the boardwalk can become slippery. It joins a tarmacadam and pea shingled walkway, 3m wide 1 in 20 incline and 26m long. It is protected from the road boundary by post and chain fencing, except where service vehicle access is maintained to the hotel.
• The road side walkway, boardwalk and car park are illuminated by plinth and wall mounted bulkhead light fittings. CCTV also covers the car park (max distance from entrance 120m, min 60m).
• During extremely busy periods, further car parking is available on a grassed field situated off the main car park.

Main Entrance and Reception
• The main hotel entrance leads off from Park Road via a flagged area on a slight incline of 1 in 25 with a kerb step of 4cm.
• Two steps lead to the front door (18cm risers, 65cm treads). There is no handrail. The door has a large brass handle with twist action and is fitted with a self-closing device. Maximum door width is 63cm but by opening the second bolted door a width of 126cm can be obtained. The doors open inwards into a passageway 1.630m wide. There is a central 1m wide coir matting strip abutting pamment tile flooring.
• Lighting, as throughout the hotel, is subdued.
• The hotel reception is 8metres from the front door. The reception area is small, 1.5m long x 1.2m wide and has a 3cm threshold step and an access door 79cm wide. A stable door 1m high x 25cm wide provides a small counter worktop for registration.
• If entering the hotel via the main entrance is not practical, there is an alternative access to reception which has no steps. Customers should enter the hotel via the Holkham bar accessed from the car park via the hotel’s service vehicle area. The entrance door here is 14m from the highway and the 57cm door opening can be extended to 85cm by unbolting the side panel. There is a Suffolk latch handle. These doors open inwards to a flagged stone area (1.3m wide & 1.6m long) and doorways to the right and left. The doorway to the right leads to the tap room via a 82cm wide door with negotiation of a threshold (4cm high x15cm wide) to a well worn tiled floor. The exit door (75cm wide) has a heavy return fire door, self closer spring and leads to the hotel’s main passageway at the front door. The distance from the external door to the reception is 11m.
• Reception is normally manned from 9am–6pm in the winter and 9am–9pm in the summer months. Outside these times other members of staff will assist and an answering machine service is in operation. Access to the hotel is not available from midnight–8am without prior arrangement, or if you are residents, who are issued with a front door key.

Public Areas
General Information – Internal
• All public areas are on the ground floor.
• Flooring ranges from well worn pamment tiles, wooden boarded floors with knot holes, rugs, coir carpeting and modern tiles. Floors are not all the same level with sloping areas at doorways and stepped thresholds (10cm max).
• Access doorways vary from 75cm – 180cm but due to fire prevention requirements some doors are fitted with heavy return door springs. Automatic self-closing fire doors also exist but these are usually open.
• Natural lighting is overall good in most areas but is supplemented by artificial lighting during the day in the bar, tap room and entrance passage areas. Lighting is subdued at night and supplemented with candles on stands and in containers. Table lamps are also used to increase lighting to areas where guests may wish to read.
• There is no loop system available in the hotel.
• An open fire is located in the lounge area with a hearth upstand (5cm). This supplements the hotel’s central heating.
• Emergency evacuation procedures are in place with strategic placement of fire alarms and smoke detectors.
• The hotel has a public entertainment licence and relevant sale of alcohol licences.
• Ventilation is natural with the majority of windows being Georgian corded sash and the others opening casement windows. Smoking is not permitted anywhere inside the hotel and no designated smoking area exists.
• The public areas consist of the following:
A Residents’ Lounge, Public Lounge, Main Bar, Tap Room Bar, The Leicester Room, Dining Room - Gallery and Orangery.
• Furniture in the above areas is heavy and care should be taken when moving.
• Dogs are permitted in all public areas except the dining rooms.

Public Areas
General Information – External
• For alfresco dining in the summer months, there is a large pea-shingle gravelled area with picnic tables with sun canopies. There is also a paved patio area adjoining the orangery restaurant. As the hotel is built on sloping ground (1in 20) access to this area is via steps (20cm risers) with no handrails.
• Paths to the external areas range from 22mm gravel, bark mulch, boardwalk, pea-shingle, tarmacadam and brick.
• A children’s play area adjoins the main car park. Equipment includes a climbing frame, a slide, swing, rope ladder and a horizontal ladder.
• The area is delineated by boarding on edge (8cm high) and rubber matting covered with wood chippings (up to 5cm) provides a soft surface underneath all equipment.
• Access to the play area is via five railway sleeper steps (15cm riser, 25cm tread with no handrail) off the car park boardwalk.
• The area is unfenced. The surrounding grass area, with picnic tables, also has apple trees and the remains of tree stumps (up to 15cm high) which can present a tripping hazard.
• The boundary is delineated in part by railway sleepers on edge (20cm high x 15cm wide) but in parts an unprotected steep sloped grass bank (1 in 2) exists.
• Children using the equipment must be supervised at all times and the hotel has a liability disclaimer.

Gents Toilets
• The gentlemen’s toilets are signed Albert and access is off the main hotel lobby/passageway.
• Access is restricted with a step up (23cm) and a narrow inward opening door (57cm wide). The door opens into a lobby (125cm wide by 135cm long), then a second door opening (68cm wide) leads to a hand wash and urinal area.
• There are two shallow wash basins with lever-operated, mono-block mixing taps on a plinth shelf (74cm high).
• Hand drying is by paper towels stored at 120cm high or a hot air blower 145cm from ground level.
• Two urinals which are wall hung in a total space of 125cm wide exist with restricted access to one due to the hand basin plinth.
• Two toilets off this area are accessed via inward opening doors (70cm wide) fitted with barrel bolts for privacy. The cubicles are 135cm long and 103cm wide.
• The cisterns are high level flush with handles on chains150cm from the floor.
• The entire area is part wall tiled with floor tiling being a rough hand-hewn effect.
• There is good natural and artificial lighting, with both natural and supplemented mechanical ventilation.
• There is no access to the Gents toilets for wheelchair users and the hotel has no designated toilet facilities for disabled visitors.

Ladies Toilets
• Access is off the main lounge via an open door (80cm wide), restricted to an effective opening of 50cm due to furniture.
• Off the entrance lobby (176cm long x 87cm wide) is a second doorway (fire door 80cm wide) leading to wash hand basins and baby changing facilities, with natural lighting and ventilation.
• Baby changing facilities consist of a baby mat on a cupboard (89cm high) with a nappy disposal bin.
• Two wall hung hand wash basins (87cm high) are served by timed hot and cold taps. Hand-drying is by paper towels stored at a height of 33cm and 1m.
• There are three cubicles with low level cisterns (flush height 83cm). Access to each cubicle is via opening doors 138 cm deep x 86cm wide). Each door has a small brass twist privacy lock.
• None of the cubicles have natural light or ventilation and artificial lighting and mechanical ventilation are provided
• Flooring is level tiled.
• There is no access to the ladies WC for wheelchair users and the hotel has no designated toilet facilities for disabled visitors.

Restaurant / Dining Room / Bar and Lounges
• Formal dining is held in either the gallery or the orangery.
• Menus are available from the meet and greet station in the lounge or from waiters/waitresses.
• Menus always contain vegetarian options. Some food contains nuts. The chef is happy to liaise with guests to ensure other special dietary requirements are met, but advance requests are advised.
• The day’s menu is displayed at the door.
• Guests are escorted to their allocated table in the gallery or orangery.
• Dogs other than guide dogs are not permitted in the formal dining rooms.
• Guests are expected to be informally smart in appearance.
• Piped music is played during meal times.

The Gallery
• Access is off the main lounge via two heavy, wooden folding doors (max width 175cm) which are opened during meal times.
• The floor is level from the lounge and wood boarded with the occasional knot hole.
• The room is naturally well lit and ventilated (sash windows) with subdued artificial lighting.
• Candles or oil burning lamps are used on the dining tables for evening dinner.
• Fresh flowers are also placed on the tables.
• Dining room furniture is heavy and care should be exercised when moving it.

The Orangery
• Entrance to the orangery is via the gallery dining room via two double doors (width 120cm) with a small threshold 2cm deep x 20cm wide.
• The floor consists of level sandstone slabs incorporating under-floor heating. During cold spells portable LPG (liquefied petroleum gas) heaters are used.
• The room is naturally well lit and also has subdued artificial lighting.
• Natural ventilation is available by opening the casement windows.
• Tables have candles or oil lamps and fresh flowers for evening dinner.
• The furniture is of a more modern design and therefore can be moved more readily.
• From the orangery, French doors (width 156cm) open onto a paved patio which is used for formal al fresco dining during suitable weather conditions.

Patio Dining
• This consists of a level paved slab area, with a slight gradient near the access doors from the orangery with a 3cm threshold.
• Tables are picnic style benches and formally laid when in use. The benches are not freestanding but integral to the table.
• Access to the gardens is via three paved steps to the north and two paved steps to the south (20cm risers) with no handrail.
• Artificial lighting is supplied by bulkhead wall light fittings.

General Bar Area, Leicester Room & Holkham Tap Bar
• Informal dining is available in the Leicester Room or the Tap Bar. Bar menus are available from staff or on display on the table.
• A vegetarian option is always available.
• A comprehensive range of alcoholic, soft drinks, tea/coffee are served.
• Meals can be eaten outside (BBQ and/or gardens).
• Food is ordered at the bar by customers who advise the relevant table number they are occupying.
• Food is delivered to the table by waiting staff, except during BBQs.
• The floor in the bar area is wooden boards with a slope and a step up to the lounge (total 10cm).
• There is no natural light or ventilation.
• Door openings at either end are115cm and 85cm.
• The bar serving height is 110cm with a width of 65cm.
• Bar stools 76cm high are provided for guests.

Leicester Room
• This is a level tiled floor area situated off the bar.
• Access is via two openings (135cm wide) with a slight incline and step (10cm) down from the lounge.
• The room is naturally well lit and artificial light is subdued with table lamps on window sills. The area is well ventilated by casement windows.
• Candles are burnt in wall mounted holders.
• Furniture, especially the tables (cast iron base) are extremely heavy and customers are advised not to move them.

Holkham Tap Bar
• The Tap Bar is accessed from the hotel front entrance hall (70cm door with return spring) or from the main bar via door (82cm wide) with a threshold 4cm wide x 15cm high.
• The floor is well worn chequered tile.
• An extension to the bar is situated in this room (height 110cm width 65cm).
• The room contains a wall mounted plasma TV and a dart board. When the dart board is in use, the door to the front passage way is locked, for safety purposes.
• There is natural lighting, plus subdued artificial lighting. Ventilation is reasonable with sash windows to open.
• This room contains a cigarette/tobacco vending machine.
• Furniture, apart from the bench, is relatively lightweight and easy to move.

Resident's Lounge
• Free wireless internet connection (Wi-Fi) is is available in the hotel.
• The lounge is accessed from the entrance corridor by a door (79cm wide) which has a heavy fire door return spring.
• This room is reserved exclusively for hotel residents.
• Flooring is level with wooden boards and a large central rug.
• Natural lighting and ventilation is abundant from two sash windows and artificial light is controlled by dimmer switches (140cm above floor). Table lamps with in-line switches supplement the lighting.
• A disused fire place exists with kerb edging to a stone hearth (13cm x 145cm x 40cm).
• Furniture in this room is extremely heavy and care should be taken before moving it.
• Board games, a video player and videos, mainly for children, are provided.

Main Lounge
• This is accessed via an opening off the entrance corridor (1.63 m wide). The automatic fire doors are normally open and retained back.
• The level flooring is wooden floor boards with knot holes.
• There is an open fire place burning wood with a stone hearth 210cm wide x 56cm deep. When not in use, candles are lit in the hearth in the evening. Candles on stands, in pots and on the fire place are used at night.
• The room is naturally well lit by sash windows and subdued, artificial light is controlled. Table lamps supplement the artificial light.
• The heavy furniture in this room should only be moved with care.

Outdoor Facilities
• During the summer months a self service BBQ is held in the hotel courtyard where picnic tables are provided.
• The BBQ courtyard area can be covered with sun blinds during hot weather (manually operated by staff).
• The courtyard is a large level area (120sqm) between the back of the hotel to the south and some outhouse buildings.
• The ground is tarmacadam dressed with pea shingle. A shallow surface water drain bisects part of this area.
• Food is cooked by the chef on an open BBQ in a corner outhouse. Vegetarian options are available. Customers on ordering help themselves from a refrigerated salad display and chips from the counter varying from 90- to 105cm in height. The smell of cooking foods waft the courtyard and flying insects such as wasps can be attracted.
• Guests may also on collection of their BBQ eat at picnic tables in the gardens and on the terrace.
• The children’s play area (as described earlier in Public Areas/External) adjoins the main car park and is adjacent to the BBQ area. The play area can be reached from the courtyard and has a surrounding grass area, with picnic tables. There are apple trees and flying insects such as wasps can be attracted to the fruits.
• Children using the equipment must be supervised at all times and the hotel has a liability disclaimer.

Bedroom Accommodation - General
• Check in is from 2pm and check out 11am (or later by arrangement).
• Room service is available when the hotel is manned.
• There is no elevator or chair lift.
• Bedroom doors (75cm wide) with a shallow wooden threshold and fire door return springs are accessed by a key requiring a twist turn action.
• All bedding, towels and dressing gowns are provided by the hotel. Bedding for allergy suffers can be supplied on request
• Soap, shampoo, conditioner and bath gel are provided and a hair dryer is available in each room.
• Bath mats are available on request.
• All rooms are provided with a small fridge at ground level for storage of milk, and water. Plus tea and coffee making facilities are provided in all rooms.
• Each room is equipped with a plasma TV with Freeview, through which radio stations can be played. TV’s have DVD playing facilities and DVDs are available free from reception. There is free wireless internet connection in the hotel.
• An iron and ironing board is available on request from reception.
• All artificial lighting is operated by twist turn dimmable wall switches set at normal height (140cm -150cm – except room 8) with bedside table lamps operated from bedside switches.
• Flooring is carpet in the bedrooms (except room 8 which has altro) with tiled flooring in the bathrooms and level (except room 1 which has a small step).
• All bathroom fittings are low level close coupled WCs with central push or hand flush handles 90cm from floor, cast iron baths and pedestal wash hand basins, all fitted at normal height with taps being conventional turn on, or mono at wash hand basins, together with pop up wastes. There are no grab rails in the bathrooms, except for room 8.
• All bathrooms have electric shaver socket points.
• There are mechanical extractors operated by light switches in all bathrooms.
• Emergency procedures are displayed behind the entrance door with telephone numbers of duty managers.
• The hotel is unstaffed from midnight until 7am.
• A phone is available in each room (dial 9 for outside line).
• If newspapers are pre-ordered they will be left outside guests bedrooms.
• Guests who stay to participate in shooting on the estate, must ensure that all guns are stored in a locked gun cupboard by the duty manager.
• All bedrooms have an en-suite bathrooms, except room 3 which has a shower only.
• All the baths have hand held showers except rooms 5 and 8 where fitted showers exist.
• All the furniture is of a very heavy design and comprises of bedside tables, dressing table, chairs, wardrobe, suitcase stand and tea tray.
• Nine bedrooms and a suite are available within the hotel.
• Bedrooms number 1 to 7 inclusive are on the first floor reached by a sweeping curved staircase of 16 steps (95cm wide, riser 20cm, tread 28cm) with a handrail on one side.
• Bedrooms 1and 2 are double elevation with two sash windows and/or casement windows each. They are large, airy, naturally well lit and ventilated and complete with lobbies behind entrance doors. Room 1 is a king size double with views to the north over the salt marsh. It has a tiled step up (delineated on the floor) of 10cm in the bathroom. Room 2 can be two single beds or a king size double. Lockable interconnecting doors between the rooms means the two rooms can be utilised as a family room. Room 2 is located to the rear of the hotel and overlooks the courtyard.
• To the right of the staircase access is gained to rooms 3 to 7 inclusive via a glazed fire door (80cm wide).
• Room 3 is a small double room with shower cubicle but no bath. The interconnecting door to room 4 means 3 + 4 can be utilised as a family room. The room is light with two casement windows one in the shower/toilet area and one in bedroom. This room is located to the rear of the hotel and overlooks the courtyard.
• Room 4 is a double bedroom with a large bathroom with a free standing roll top bath. The room is naturally dark (one casement window) due to paint selection and the bed is extremely high off the ground (70cm), necessitating the use of a stool which is provided, for less active visitors to climb into bed. This room overlooks the courtyard to the rear of the hotel.
• Room 5 is a light, airy double bedroom with a sash window overlooking the salt marshes. The bath in this room has a wall mounted shower and shower screen.
• Room 6 is a double bedroom which has a large bathroom with a free standing roll top slipper bath. Sash windows overlook reclaimed salt marshes and the room is reasonably well lit naturally. This room is located at the front of the hotel with views over the salt marshes
• Room 7 is a double bedroom with a sash window overlooking the copper roof of the orangery and gardens. The bathroom contains a standard bath with hand held shower, standard toilet and a large pedestal hand basin. The floor level is the same as the bedroom and the bathroom also has a sash window providing adequate natural lighting
• Room 8 is situated on the ground floor off the BBQ courtyard with a bathroom designed for disabled use. Access to this room is via a relatively level pea shingled tarmacadam courtyard with access doorway (1m wide) into a lobby (2.8m long x 1.5m wide). Additional access exists from the hotel main car park via six pamment steps (19cm risers, 32cm treads) with two handrails leading to a double door (max opening width 130cm) into lobby. A key operated door (85cm wide) with grab rail opens into the bedroom (no fire closure return) which has a painted boarded floor. The room is light and airy having 2 opening casement windows overlooking the garden. This room contains a king size double bed. The bedroom has no grab rails. Entrance to the ensuite bath/shower room is via an easily opened door (85cm wide). The bathroom has a bath, large wash hand basin, shower and raised toilet (47cm high) all fitted with lever control taps, flush and shower valve. The flooring is altro and forms a wet room where showers can be taken in the wheelchair or on a wall mounted stool. The room is equipped with numerous grab rails including a toilet support bar. All artificial light switches are low mounted (110cm) and plugs high mounted (50cm). This room, whilst outside “the main hotel area”, has been specifically adapted for wheelchair users or guests with restricted movement.
• Rooms 9 and 10 are reached via a further double dog-leg staircase with 14 stairs (90cm wide, 22cm risers, 28cm tread) with a handrail on one side only. At the landing a fire door opens into a lobby with bedroom doors to the right and left. The entire area is built within the roof of the hotel but is light, airy and spacious. Opening Velux roof lights fitted with blinds provide natural lighting. Room 9 is a double with a day bed available for children. Room 10 is the attic suite consisting of a large double bedroom with day bed plus a smaller bedroom (two singles) and two bathrooms. Both rooms have fitted air conditioning in the bedrooms. Bathroom flooring is sealed “bubbled” altro sheeting. The nature of the attic construction means ceilings on roof rafters are sloping and the lowest vertical wall is 80cm high. TV’s are recessed into cupboard areas.

Created – 1st March 2010