Introduction

Our aim is to provide high standards of service, offering all customers an exceptional visitor experience. We are committed to ensuring that all visits are an enjoyable experience, regardless of age and mobility.

 

Pre-Arrival

• A clearly worded leaflet is available detailing opening times, facilities and the surrounding area. This is widely distributed to surrounding hotels, motorway services, attractions and tourist information centres

• Telephone, fax and email facilities are available on site

• Website available www.andertonboatlift.co.uk and text size can be easily increased to assist the visually impaired

• The boat lift is easily accessible by car. It is located just off the A559 & A533, just four miles from J10 of the M56.

• Brown tourist signs for the boat lift can be found on all major routes including the M6, M56 and Northwich Town Centre.

• Local rail stations Northwich and Hartford are both four miles away.

• Local taxis and buses operate to the boat lift (see contact information). The nearest bus stop is around five minutes walk away along an assessable drive.

 

Arrival & Car Parking Facilities

• Car Parking is on a 'Pay & Display' basis. Blue badge holders & coaches may park free of charge.

• There is parking for 180 cars. Five spaces are widened for disabled parking.

• The surface of the driveway and car park is tarmac.

• The distance from the car park to the main visitor entrance is around 100 metres along a tarmac path with a gradient, or via a gravel path about three feet wide with a lesser gradient. Part of this route includes a section of towpath running beside the canal. There are no steps between the car park and the main entrance.

• A drop off zone 40 metres from the main entrance allows safe access to the attraction for mobility impaired visitors. The drop off zone is also accessible to large vehicles such as coaches.

• A large sign next to the canal directs visitors from the car park to the Visitor Centre.

 

Main Entrance, Reception & Ticketing Area

• Hours of operation: Easter - September, 7 days, 10am - 5pm with trip boat / October, Wed-Sun, 11am - 4pm with trip boat / Nov Thurs - Sun, 11am - 4pm no trip boat

• Entrance is through automatic sliding doors across a fixed decked bridge with railings and handrails on both sides.

• The Welcome Desk is open plan and its height allows wheelchair users easy access.

• Lighting is a combination of natural and electric light.

• The main Visitor Centre entrance is on the upper floor. Cafe, gift shop, toilets and welcome desk are all located on this level.

• The lower floor houses the exhibition area and private boating booking office.

• There is a set of 17 metal stairs (with 180° turn) leading down to the exhibition area. These are marked with yellow and white edging.

• A public passenger lift between these two levels holds up to eight people or one wheelchair and two people. The lift is equipped with an emergency link to a call centre.

• The only corridors and internal doors within the centre are those leading to public toilets.

• All indoor public areas are no smoking

• Customers may hire a wheelchair during their visit. Hire is free, although we do request a £10 refundable deposit

 

Public Areas - Hall, Stairs, Landing, Corridors etc

• Not Available

 

Public Areas - Sitting room, lounges, lobbies etc

• Not available

 

Public Restrooms

• Public restrooms are located in three areas throughout the site:

• The main entrance: male and female, each with a disabled cubicle. The female restroom has baby changing facilities and three further cubicles. The male restroom has one further cubicle and two urinals.

• Lower exhibition floor: unisex disabled & baby changing facilities

• The grounds/gardens: a third lavatory block with separate female, male and disabled facilities. Access is via a decked level pathway.

• Hand washing facilities are located in all the restroom areas. Separate hand wash basins are provided in the disabled cubicles along with hand rails

 

Restaurant / Dining Room, Bar & Bar area, Take Away & Cafe

• The cafe can seat a maximum of 60 people in one sitting and operates on a first come, first served basis.

• Tables sizes vary, accommodating from two to four customers.

• All tables are at a wheelchair accessible height and chairs may be removed to create additional space.

• Staff are always on hand to assist wheelchair customers on request.

• We cater for vegetarians & gluten free diets. Other dietary requirements will be considered upon request.

• The counter is self service with sandwiches and cold drinks in a refrigerator. Hot drinks & food is served from the till by our staff.

 

Laundry

• Not Available

 

Shop

• The shop, cafe and welcome desk are all located on the upper floor with an open plan layout.

• The shop is designed to offer easy wheelchair access around the two central stands.

• Gifts and items in the shop area are located at as low a level as is practicable. Assistance can of course be provided.

• All items are clearly labelled.

 

Treatment room/s

• Not Available

 

Leisure Facilities

• Not Available

 

Outdoor Facilities

• See Attractions and Grounds & Gardens

 

Conference & Meeting Rooms, Banqueting

• A marquee is available for private hire, with easy access from the lower grounds.

 

Clubs & Entertainment

• Not Available

 

Bedrooms & Sleeping Areas

• Not Available

 

Bathroom, Shower-room & WC [Ensuite or Shared]

• See Public Restrooms

 

Self-Catering Kitchen

• Not Available

 

Caravans, Holiday Homes & Twin Units

• Not Available

 

Touring Facilities (Holiday Parks)

• Not Available

 

Boats - Narrow Boat, Cruiser & Hotel Boat

• Our accessible glass topped trip boat, Edwin Clark, can accommodate up to 56 seated passengers.

• The vessel can accommodate two wheelchairs and has a hydraulic lift to carry these into the trip boat.

• There is one step on to the boat deck, then a further 3 steps inside the boat. Handrails are provided either side of the steps.

• All the windows are emergency exits that slide to open.

 

Attractions (Displays, exhibits, rides etc.)

Exhibition Area:

• Located on the lower level of the main visitor centre.

• It is open plan with interpretation boards along the walls and free-standing interactive displays.

• Interpretation boards are designed in different sizes of font to cater for different visual abilities.

• Our DVD presentation area has seating and an induction loop.

• Free standing interactive displays are positioned at an accessible height for wheelchairs.

 

Maze:

• Located in the grounds on a hard, level surface.

• Difficult for wheelchairs to gain access.

 

Children's Play Area:

• Located in the grounds with a wood chip surface, accessed directly from the tarmac path with surrounding grass verge.

• Small children’s climbing frame with slide, rope climb and fireman's pole.

• One metre high wooden fence, surrounding the play area.

 

Grounds and Gardens

• Landscaped grounds and gardens are located on a gradient.

• A graded, tarmac surfaced pathway 250 metres long leads customers through the grounds.

• Seating and rest points line the pathway at various intervals from 20 metres to 80 metres apart.

• At the lower trip boat moorings are 14 steps with a non-slip edging strip. An alternative route is available for mobility impaired visitors and wheelchair users.

• Wheelchair accessible picnic benches are located on the upper and lower ground areas.

• Between the pathways are grass verges which may be uneven under foot. We advise visitors keep to the pathways.

• At the upper trip boat moorings a ramp or three steps offers access to the trip boat. The surface is tarmac with four mooring rods located next to the waters edge. The waterside here is open with no fencing.

 

Viewing Platform:

• Located 45 metres from the visitor centre.

• It is a decked platform looking out onto the lift and River Weaver, with tactile mapping to illustrate the vista.

 

Additional Information

• Brail maps of the site are available on request at the Welcome Desk

• Guide dogs are welcome in all areas and water can be provided upon request.

• First aid facilities are located at the Welcome Desk or by asking a member of staff

 

Contact Information

Address:

Anderton Boat Lift 
Lift Lane 
Anderton 
Northwich 
Cheshire 
CW9 6FW


Telephone: 01606 786 777

Fax: 01606 872 903

Email: info@andertonboatlift.co.uk

Website: www.andertonboatlift.co.uk

 

Future Plans

• Not Available


Contact Telephone and Email Address

Your feedback will help us continuously improve the visitor experience.
If you have any comments please phone 01606786777 or email: info@andertonboatlift.co.uk