Access Statement for North Norfolk Sticks


Introduction.    North Norfolk Sticks is a converted 3-bedroom barn in a remote rural location. It is not suitable for wheelchair access.

 
Pre-Arrival..     Full details can be found on the web site at www.northnorfolkcottage.co.uk where the access statement is available. The contact number is 01263 860957 and e-mail vchart@care4free.net; there is no fax. The location is rural, there is no public transport and a car is essential. The nearest shop, a small village store, is 3 miles away and the nearest supermarket 7 miles away although Tesco will deliver to the property. There are no hire facilities in the immediate area and no public toilets or amenities. The nearest taxi hire service is 3 miles away and the nearest public telephone half a mile away. There is no policy regarding those with disabilities but the property is not suitable for access in a wheelchair. The floors are not level, the doorways are narrow and the ceilings low. Those with visual or hearing impairment would best be accompanied for their own safety. 

 
Arrival & Car Parking Facilities.   The property is approached along an unmade-up farm track and the driveway is gravel. There is unlimited parking. The entrance to the property, a detached Victorian barn, is approached across gravel. The owners are available to assist guests if required. 

 
Main Entrance, Reception & Ticketing Area.     The owner will always be available to show guests around the property on arrival. There is a comprehensive information book for guests explaining all the details of the property and the surrounding area and its facilities. Pets are not permitted. 

 
Public Areas - Hall, Stairs, Landing, Corridors etc.   There are no public areas in that this is a private let. The building is two storey with the bedrooms upstairs and the bathroom downstairs. The doorways are too narrow to allow for wheelchair access. The stairs are steep and headroom limited. 

 
Public Areas - Sitting room, lounges, lobbies etc.    This self contained, self catering holiday let is a two storey building, with three bedrooms upstairs and a bathroom downstairs. The floors are uneven, the stairs are steep with limited headroom and the doorways very narrow and not wide enough for wheelchair access. There are no grab handles.

 
Public WCs.    The only available WC is in the downstairs bathroom accessed through a very narrow doorway which is not wide enough for a wheelchair. The bathroom suite is a standard one, with no provision for the physically disabled. There is a shower above the bath. The nearest public toilet is 6 miles away in the nearest town. 

 

Restaurant / Dining Room, Bar & Bar area, Take Away & Café.   The property is a self catering holiday cottage with no public dining room, restaurant, bar etc. 

 
Laundry.   There is no laundry but a fully automatic washing machine is provided with an outside rotary clothes line and an internal clothes horse. There is an ironing board and iron provided. 

 
Shop.     There is no shop nearby. The closest shop is a small village store 3 miles away and the nearest supermarket is 7 miles away. 

 

Treatment room/s..        None

 
Leisure Facilities.     None

 
Outdoor Facilities.     There is a large garden with a lot of play equipment for children such as swings, football and net, swing ball, child's croquet set, seesaw, old car tyre on rope hanging in tree etc. There is a fully equipped summerhouse with tables and chairs, gas heater and gas light, BBQ with charcoal provided. There is a patio outside the accommodation with table and chairs for 6 and a large sunshade. 

Conference & Meeting Rooms, Banqueting.       None

 
Clubs & Entertainment.       None

 
Bedrooms & Sleeping Areas.    There are three bedrooms located upstairs comprising a main bedroom with double bed, a landing bedroom with single bed and cot, and a third bedroom with three single beds. There is a fire escape ladder located in the third bedroom and an audio fire alarm at the bottom of the stairs and in the landing bedroom. . 

 
Bathroom, Shower-room & WC [Ensuite or Shared].  The bathroom is located downstairs and contains a standard bathroom suite with no additional provisions for the physically disabled. There is a standard bath with an additional fixed shower above it. The doorway to the bathroom is very narrow. 

 
Self-Catering Kitchen.   The kitchen is located on the ground floor between the dining room and the sitting room. There is a modern electric cooker, microwave, fridge freezer, coffee making machine and all the normal kitchen items such as cutlery, crockery, electric kettle, electric sandwich maker, toaster, glasses etc. 

 
Caravans, Holiday Homes & Twin Units.       N/A

 
Touring Facilities (Holiday Parks):         N/A

 
Boats - Narrow Boat, Cruiser & Hotel Boat.       N/A

 
Attractions (Displays, exhibits, rides etc.).         None

 
Grounds and Gardens. The garden is just over half an acre with a large lawn area suitable for croquet and ball games. There is a lot of play equipment for children such as swings, a seesaw, football and net, croquet, Wendy house, swing ball etc. There is a large summerhouse with BBQ (with charcoal provided), tables and chairs, gas heater, gas light etc. Additionally, outside the accommodation is another table with seating for 6 and a sunshade. 

 
Additional Information.   This is a self catering holiday cottage set in a remote rural location and surrounded by organically farmed land and woodland. The policy is no smoking and no pets. It is not suitable for the physically disabled and those with other disabilities would probably need to be accompanied due to the remote location, uneven floors, steep stairs, low ceilings and gravel access. A car is essential and there are no shops or similar facilities such as garages, pubs, libraries, cinemas, public toilets etc. nearby. Some visitors have found mobile phone signals (other than Vodaphone) unobtainable. 

 
Address:  North Norfolk Sticks
  C/O Church Farmhouse
  Swanton Novers
  Melton Constable
  Norfolk
  NR24 2RF.

 
Telephone:  01263 860957

 
Fax/ Minicom:  None

 
Email:  vchart@care4free.net

 
Website:  www.northnorfolkcottage.co.uk

 Grid reference:  52º51´02 N 001º01´02 E

 
Hours of operation:  The property is available for letting all the year round although it is not let for more than 20 weeks in any given year. 

 
Emergency number:  01263 860957

 
Local carers:  None

 
Local equipment hire companies:  Cycle hire: 
  MPG Sports and Leisure, Wells (9 miles) 01328 711054
  On Yer Bike Cycle Hire, Walsingham (7 miles) 01328 820719
  Overland Cycles, Holt (6 miles) 01263 713293

 
Local public transport numbers:  There is no public transport in, to or from Swanton Novers.
 

Nearest bus companies: Konectbus Ltd., Dereham (16 miles) 01362 851210; First Eastern Counties, Norwich (25 miles) 01603 788306
Trains: Norwich Railway Station (25 miles) 08457484950; National Rail Enquiries 08712004950 or 08457484950

 
Local accessible taxi numbers:  There are no taxi companies operating in Swanton Novers. Nearest taxis are: 
Anglia Taxis, Fakenham (8 miles) 01328 856822  or Thursford (3 miles) 01328 878111
Coastal Cars Sculthorpe (12 miles) 01328 711114 or Holt (6 miles) 01263 711517
  

 Future Plans.   The aim is to maintain the highest level of service, accommodation, and equipment as possible in a green environment. There are no planned alterations or additions to the property

 
Contact Telephone and Email Address..  We welcome your feedback to help us continually improve if you have any comments please phone 01263860957 or email vchart@care4free.net

Created.. 27 January 2010