Accessible bathroom launch makes a day out at Chatsworth possible for 250,000 people in the UK

Chatsworth House Trust has officially opened its new facilities which offer specialist healthcare equipment including greater space for a wheelchair and carer, a privacy curtain, height-adjustable bench and a ceiling-track hoist system.

Situated near the entrances to the house and garden, the new additions help ensure that Chatsworth continues to be a place for everyone.

Members of Derbyshire based charities joined a day of celebrations to launch the new facility. They included Accessible UK, a consultancy formed in 2014 to help improve the lives of those living with disabilities, and Fairplay, a charity formed by a group of parents to provide accessible activity groups for children and young people.

Gillian Scotford, director of Accessible UK, said: “Changing Places Toilets make a day at Chatsworth possible for the 250,000 people in the UK who need this vital facility. My son Thomas sadly passed away in 2017 aged 21 and he needed this facility.

“As a family we absolutely love Chatsworth and enjoy a Chatsworth Friends membership. This beautiful venue has excellent accessibility, and the Changing Places was the missing link. Visitors can now relax and enjoy a full day out to explore this wonderful ‘Role Model’ attraction of excellence.”

Additional facilities to improve access at Chatsworth include free manual wheelchairs and electric scooters for visitors with limited mobility to the garden, a lift installed within the house to ensure easy access for tours, and induction loops for those with hearing disabilities.

Guided touch tours, designed for blind and partially sighted visitors, are also available at Chatsworth. A specially curated selection of items including scale-models of the house, genuine articles from collections and a range of textiles are used to give visitors the chance to interact with the history of Chatsworth through object handling and sensory engagement.

Emma Flack, head of visitor experience at Chatsworth, said: “Accessibility is a real priority for us in ensuring Chatsworth continues to be a place for everyone to enjoy independently, a home for culture and community that has people at its heart.

“These new facilities are just one of the ways we are working to make Chatsworth even more welcoming for our visitors, and we look forward to reopening our doors for a new season next month!”