English Heritage looks to Streets to improve access
SOME of English Heritage’s most famous sites are set to be improved with the help of a Yorkshire-based consultant.
Ian Streets, managing director of About Access, was invited by the organisation, which is the Government’s statutory adviser on the historic environment, to tender for the contract to conduct access audits of some of its properties.
Mr Streets, who is based in Anlaby, near Hull, won the work and visited five sites – Tintagel Castle and Pendennis Castle in Cornwall, Battle Abbey in Sussex, Kenilworth Castle in Warwickshire and Witley Court in Worcestershire.
He completed a study of all five and has now submitted a report which will help English Heritage to further develop its planned national programme of access assessments across its sites, with particular attention to disabled visitors.
Mr Streets said: “English Heritage is well aware of the legal requirements around providing access to its properties for as many people as possible and it takes a very pro-active approach to exceeding those requirements.
“They have set up their own disability action group, which looks at disability equality issues across the entire organisation. They also have a properties access group, which works to enhance the visitor experience for disabled guests.”
Mr Streets said he had been excited to work on the project.
“Apart from the business benefits of securing such a prestigious contract this was a fascinating project,” he said.
A spokesman for English Heritage said: “We are committed to improving access to our sites for everybody within the resources available to us. What benefits a disabled person will also really help older people and families with young children.
“We also aim to give really useful advance information so that as many people as possible can plan a visit that suits them and enjoy these wonderful places.”
