Access Statement for Throstle Cottage, Lesbury, Northumberland

Introduction

Throstle Cottage is a stone-built, two storey, terraced house, built in 1750 and located within the Conservation area of the historic village of Lesbury in Northumberland. The cottage accommodation is laid out over the ground floor only with on road parking space, a front and a rear garden.

Pre-Arrival

Comprehensive information is available on our website, www.coquetcottages.co.uk, detailing places to visit, places to eat, local shops, amenities and services. This same information is available in Throstle Cottage and is also available in printed form upon request. A large-print brochure for each property is also available upon request. Brochures can be posted, faxed or emailed. Bookings can be made either on-line via our website www.coquetcottages.co.uk, by telephone, email or fax.

Directions to Throstle Cottage by car are provided upon final payment or anytime upon request.

Groceries can be ordered in advance for a small charge and will be placed in the cottage for your arrival. Contact us directly to arrange. Groceries can also be ordered on-line from our local Asda supermarket, Tesco Supermarket or Food Local Food (organic and locally sourced food) for delivery at a time-slot determined by yourself. See our webpage 'Need Groceries' for more information on local shops and supermarkets.

A welcome pack including the following items is available in the cottage for your arrival:

The nearest shop is 50yds away in the centre of the village. The nearest bus stop is located approx. 50 yards from the cottage. The nearest train station (main east coast line) is approx. 0.5 miles away in neighbouring Hipsburn ('Alnmouth Station'). A full train timetable can be found on www.nationalrail.co.uk.

The nearest airport is Newcastle International Airport which is located approx. 25 miles south of Lesbury. Although level access to the house is possible, and the accommodation is confined to the ground floor, there are a few small steps internally, and the doors are not wide enough to accommodate a wheel chair. There is a shower with one large step up. The bath is not suitable for disabled use.

Arrival and Car Parking Facilities

There is on road parking immediately in front of the cottage. Unloading is therefore direct to the property and the access is level. The nearest public parking is opposite to the left of the general store approx. 100 yds from the cottage. There are no charges for parking in the village. The street is adequately lit at night. Keys to the cottage are retrieved from a keysafe located at the rear of the cottage, on the house wall to the left of the back door, accessed from the shale driveway to the right of No 4. There is adequate lighting provided by PIRs.

Entry to the Property

Initial access is level via the back door and there is level access via the front door once unlocked with the keys collected from the key safe. An outside light at the rear of the cottage and also one inside lamp is left on in case of arrival after dark. All guests are provided with a contact telephone number in case of difficulty upon arrival. There is level access entry through the front door into hallway with lounge and kitchen to the right, and bedroom and bathroom and utility to the left. This is reversed for access from the back door.

Kitchen/Dining Room

Entered from the rear hallway with lockable door (sliding bolt), and entry from the lounge. There are two windows on the north facing wall over the work surfaces opening into the rear patio area. Ground floor level throughout but not wheelchair accessible due to size of doorways. Karndean flooring with no rugs. Accessible light switches and sockets. Kitchen work surfaces are of standard height. Electric hob has accessible controls. Several cupboards available at floor level with side opening hinged doors and knob handles. Oven is inset type, inset to base units with pull down hinged door and accessible controls. There is a free standing fridge freezer, with the fridge being the upper unit, freezer below, an integrated dishwasher, electric kettle, combination oven microwave and toaster. Dining seating for 2 people, dining chairs have no arms and high backs. A comprehensive information folder can be found on the kitchen table, along with a wide selection of tourist information leaflets in a display box in the lounge area. Free Wi-Fi is available throughout the cottage, but please note that Ethernet connection is not possible due to the router being located in the apartment upstairs.

Lounge

There is a 2 seater settee and 2 wing type armchairs. a book case, TV cabinet, coffee table and occasional table. The room is 15 foot square. It has a large inglenook fireplace with a wood burning stove. There is a fitted carpet and one large fireside/sofa rug. The single sash window is south facing. There are floor trailing curtains and blackout blinds A flat screen TV has integrated digital channels operated via remote control. TV has teletext. There is a Hi-fi radio/CD player. Lighting is by double track downlighters in the kitchen area and two double low energy wall lights in the lounge area. There is also a standard lamp with a low energy bulb, switched either at the socket or via a push-switch on the lamp itself. Very good level of lighting day and night. All electrical items are accessible.

Bedroom

There is one bedroom on the ground floor. It is 15 foot square and has a large (non functional) inglenook fireplace. It has a king size cast iron bed stead and high mattress. There is a blanket box at the base of the bed. There are two small antique chairs, a dressing table with easily accessed drawers, mirror and a free standing wardrobe with drawers under and hanging space over. There are two bedside tables and two bedside rugs and lamps. There are two double low energy wall lights and a dressing table light. The inbuilt service cupboard is not for guests’ use and is locked. There is a south facing sash window. The room is well lit day and night. There are long trailing curtains and blackout blinds. Heating throughout the house is by central heating radiatiors in each room.

Bathroom/WC's

Access is from the bedroom up one small step and also from the utility room. Both doors are lockable (sliding bolt). There is a separate shower (one medium step up) and a cast iron roll top slipper bath. Hand wash basin and toilet with normal height seat. The flooring is karndean and there are floor bathmats provided as well as a full set of towels for each guest. There is an over basin single glass shelf and wall mirror above. There is a large north facing window and black out blinds The towel rail is dual fuel so it is heated by the central heating usually, but can be switched on electrically in the summer when it is too warm for the heating to be on. All electric switches for the bathroom are sited in the bedroom. It is very well lit by halogen downlighters.

Laundry

This is accessed from the bathroom and rear hallway, both doors are lockable (sliding bolt). There is an automatic washing machine and separate tumble dryer located either side of the sink. All the cleaning equipment is also stored here as well as clothes dryers etc. There is a fixed washing line in the rear garden area.

Leisure Facilities

There are extensive leisure facilities in the area, including swimming, golf, horse-riding, walking, sailing, rock-climbing, gym, diving, bird watching, etc. for which full details can be found on our website and in the cottage.

Outdoor Facilities, Grounds and Gardens

Access to the front garden, which is level, has one small step, has a central gravel path, is grassed and has flowerbeds to both sides, and is secluded from the main road by a high evergreen hedge. The garden is in two halves either side of the main pathway from the gate to the front door, one with a double wooden bench, the other with 2 wooden chairs and a small low level table.

Additional Information

There is a payphone available in the cottage which can be used for freephone or emergency numbers and chargeable calls can be made by pressing the required shortdial keys to access Credit Call Communications, who can take payment by card for any calls made. Instructions are contained in the information file in the cottage.

Mobile phone reception is adequate in the cottage.

There is free Wi-Fi throughout.

No smoking permitted in the cottage or gardens.

It is your responsibility to evacuate the cottage in the event of fire (fire risk assessed).

Contact Information

Cottage owner and address:

Dr Sue York

3 Garden Terrace

Lesbury

Northumberland

NE66 3PR

Tel: 07900 546 151

Booking Agent:

Mrs Julie Ringland

Coquet Cottages

www.coquetcottages.co.uk

Tel: 0191 388 3752 Mobile: 07712 657 161 Fax: 0191 388 1072

Email: info@coquetcottages.co.uk

Please contact either of us if you have any queries whatsoever about the accessibility of any of our cottages.