YHA (England & Wales) Trevelyan House, Dimple Road, Matlock, Derbyshire, DE4 3YH Tel. +44(0)1629 592 700 www.yha.org.uk YHA Wells-next-the-Sea - Access Statement Introduction commodation in Norfolk, then YHA Wells-next-the-Sea is the perfect location! An imaginative conversion of a church hall built in 1914, this hostel is a great location for activity breaks, walking holidays and relaxing weekends away. We aim to cater for the needs of all visitors in this 31-bed hostel; a 2-storey building which stands opposite the Parish Church of St Nicholas in a quiet residential street in the southern part of town. We have one room on the ground floor, which is accessible and has an accessible en-suite bathroom. We look forward to welcoming you. If you have any queries or require any assistance please phone 01629 592700 or email customerservices@yha.org.uk. Pre-Arrival The nearest rail station is Sheringham which is 16.4 miles away. The nearest bus stop is within 150 metres of the hostel. There is an hourly bus service which runs to this stop from Sheringham until 17:40. From October until April there is a reduced service, please check with the bus service provider. There are no local taxi companies which can provide accessible taxis. The nearest company is in Norwich. Please see the contact information section for more details. The hostel is located minutes away from the centre of the town. Along this route there are narrow pavements and street lights. The route is mostly level. www.yha.org.uk; please click on the Maps and Directions tab to view a map and transport options. You can contact the hostel by phone or e-mail (please see contact information). Car Parking and Arrival We have parking onsite for around 12 cars. To the right of the main entrance there is a marked accessible bay. The car park is brightly lit until 11pm. The car park is level and surfaced with gravel. From here there is level access over the gravel and onto a brick pathway which leads to the door. The accessible space is surfaced with brick. If you let us know what time you are coming we will do our best to provide assistance moving to and from cars. 1
Main Entrance and Reception To enter the hostel there is a set of double doors which open outwards, followed by a second set of double doors also opening outwards. In the space between the two sets of doors there is a bench for guests to use. The entrance is level throughout. The reception lobby is just through these doors. The floor is level and surfaced with carpet tiles. The area is evenly lit with ceiling lights. There is a lower level service section on the reception desk, and a portable induction loop is available on request. A payphone is also available here, with adjacent seating. Public Areas Halls, Corridors and Stairs There is good colour contrast to floor, walls and doorways throughout the building. All public areas, halls, stairs and landings are well lit using a combination of ceiling and wall lights. The corridor flooring is carpet tiles throughout. Unfortunately we do not have a lift, so access to the first floor is by stairs only. The main staircase is a spiral staircase which leads from Reception up to the first floor. It is fitted with handrails and has 15 steps. Additionally, there is a straight staircase at the back of the hostel which also has handrails and 15 steps. Both staircases are carpeted. Public WCs There are two WCs on the ground floor just off the reception lobby. One of these is an accessible WC with grab rails and lower level washbasin. Transfer onto the toilet is righthanded. Both have non-slip flooring and are well-lit. Lounge Our lounge is located on the ground floor and has level access from reception via three single leaf doors. The floor is level throughout and surfaced with carpet. The room is welllit with ceiling lights. The room is furnished with coffee tables, sofas and armchairs. All furniture can be moved; please just ask at reception if you require assistance. Dining Room The dining room is located on the ground floor and has level access from the reception area via three single leaf doors. The floor is level and surfaced with wood effect laminate. The room is well-lit with ceiling lights. 2
There are dining tables and straight back chairs without armrests. All furniture can be moved; please just ask at reception if you require assistance. Self-Catering Kitchen We are a self-catering only hostel. The self-catering kitchen is located on the ground floor and has level access from the dining room via a single leaf door. The floor is level and surfaced with non-slip lino. The room is evenly lit. The kitchen is equipped with two domestic stoves with hobs and grills, one domestic fridge, one larger fridge with freezer box, two microwaves, two toasters, kettles and a range of kitchen utensils, crockery and cutlery. Crockery and some kitchen equipment are kept in high shelving units. We would be happy to move these to lower storage if required. There is also a lower work surface with a hob available. Laundry and Drying Facilities The drying room is located on the ground floor and has level access from Reception via two single leaf doors. The floor is level and surfaced with non-slip lino. The room is well-lit. There is a combined washing and drying machine. There is limited space in this room, but staff will be happy to help with any equipment. Meeting Rooms The meeting room is located on the ground floor and has level access from Reception via a single leaf door. The flooring is wood effect laminate and it is level throughout. We can provide tables and chairs in a variety of seating arrangements. For more information please contact us directly. Bedrooms and Bathrooms All rooms contain a washbasin. Unless otherwise stated, all bedrooms have bunk beds and are not en-suite. All bedrooms are carpeted and well-lit with ceiling and individual bunk lights. All bedding is provided. All of the bathrooms have fluorescent lighting and non-slip flooring. The standard showers have a step up to enter. Ground Floor One 3-bedded accessible room (double with a single bunk over) with an accessible ensuite bathroom. Transfer to the toilet in the bathroom is right-handed. 3
First Floor One double room One 3-bedded bunk room One 3-bedded room (double with a single bunk over) Five 4-bedded rooms Three WCs and four showers Cycle Shed The secure cycle store is attached to the rear wall of the building. There is a level gravel path from the main entrance to the back of the hostel. There is also ramped access from the back door to the cycle shed and back car park Additional Information We do not permit pets, but assistance dogs are very welcome We do not permit smoking anywhere in the hostel. Staff are available on site from 8am -12 noon and then from 5pm -10pm. If there is an overnight emergency, staff can be contacted by the phone at Reception. Braille signs are fitted on room doors and corridor doors. Emergency lighting and fire alarms fitted. We ensure that all guests are evacuated in the event of fire or any emergency requiring evacuation. Arrangements for guests needing assistance to evacuate in case of fire should be discussed beforehand. Evacuation procedures are displayed in each bedroom. Mobile phone reception within the hostel is poor. Wi-Fi is not available at this hostel. Contact Information Address: YHA Wells-next-the-Sea, Church Plain, Wells-next-the-sea, Norfolk, NR23 1EQ. Telephone: 0845 3719544 Email: wellsnorfolk@yha.org.uk Ordinance Survey Map 132; Grid reference TF917433 Hours of operation: Reception is open from 8am-10am and then from 5pm-10pm Local buses: Catch the Coasthopper 3 from Sheringham Train Station and get off at the High Street in Wells. For more information see the Norfolk Green homepage. Local taxi: 1 st Goldstar Taxis 01603 700700. 4
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