Issue 38 Summer web 23 - Flipbook - Page 68
A touch of class:
Stannah helps
modernise historic
entertainment venue
It can be said that every entertainment venue has a sole purpose: to transport their patrons into
another world where their cares can be forgotten, if only temporarily. For those venues that wish
to transport their guests to a bygone era of glitz and glamour, it can be challenging to strike the
right balance between modern conveniences and historical preservation.
Lifts are a regular focus of this challenge in heritage
buildings, and Blackpool Winter Gardens is no ordinary
building. First opened in 1878, this Grade II Listed 3,000seater entertainment complex has entertained countless
millions throughout the history of the popular Lancashire
seaside resort town. Like any other building with more
than one level, the requirement to safely and reliably
transport people from one floor to another, especially
those with limited mobility, is an essential one.
The challenge
One of the lifts at the Blackpool Winter Gardens, located
right next to the historic Opera House theatre, had
been in desperate need of repair for a long time. Used to
transport patrons up to the upper Circle and Balcony
seating areas, it is an essential piece of infrastructure to
allow step-free access to these sections. The existing
OTIS passenger lift dated back to somewhere around
the 1950s was only safely able to carry 4 persons or a
maximum load of 380 kg, and looked very dated with its
plain oak panelling.
Since the lift could not be repaired due to some of its
components becoming obsolete, the lift had been long
out of service until Stannah was selected to undertake a
complete replacement.
“Stannah was the ideal choice for the replacement of our
Opera House passenger lift, which had been out of service for
over 12 months. Working with Stannah has been so easy, and
constant communication was kept from start to finish.”
Philip Jackson,
Head of Maintenance, Winter Gardens Blackpool
Below, the opulent interior of the Opera House, which seats a total of 3,000 people
