Access awards for Asda and market yard

Both Asda at Redlands and Larne Borough Council’s newly refurbished Market Yard were presented with the William Keown Trust’s annual prestige access awards at a ceremony in Omagh recently.

The trust looks for innovation which goes beyond building control standards in design and introduces smart technology to the open and built environment, and in particular the upgrading of listed buildings where site gradient and road alignment can, to a degree, conflict with level access.

The Asda store forecourt was said to be well laid out, with disability and mother-and-baby parking bays close to the entrance, and all with clear signage.

“The store is accessed by two sets of automatic doors,” the Keown awards citation noted.

“Internally, every customer will feel the benefit of wide aisles and there is also a customer services desk. A wheel chair is provided for customers’ use,” it continued.

Deputy mayor Cllr Drew Niblock, and Larne town development manager Hazel Bell attended the presentations and received the award for the market yard, which the expert Keown Trust panel commended for its four disability parking bays.

Other aids of note included a level access and four outward-opening glazed doors, which are operated manually by push pads, in the market shed.

The citation added: “The auction room is accessed by a suitable ramp with complementary steps and you enter the building through two sets of glazed double doors, which open outwards and are operated manually.

“Both buildings have suitable disability toilet accommodation, with all the necessary fixtures and fittings.

“The market shed also has tables which are suitable for wheelchair users.”