Historic stable bays transformed into new toilet bays at Attingham Park
Historic stables have been sympathetically transformed into new toilets at a top Shropshire attraction.
Work has just been completed on the new facilities at Attingham Park which have been designed to reflect the spirit of the surviving horse stalls in other parts of the stables courtyard, built in 1782.
Installing modern facilities in a Grade II* historic building has required the team at Attingham to think carefully about planning and design. To preserve the space, a new hard-wearing, raised floor has been installed to protect the historic flooring and to allow space for new pipes. The vinyl used to cover the raised floor has been printed by using a photograph of the historic floor, to reflect what lies beneath.
Non-breathable plaster has been removed, which had previously caused damp, and the removal of a modern ceiling has revealed decorative high-level plaster work that can now be preserved.
Mark Agnew, General Manager said: “Inspired by their historic use as horses’ stalls, the brand new stables toilets have been sympathetically designed. Every small detail has been carefully considered to create attractive and functional toilets which are in-keeping with their surroundings.”
Work now continues across the site to improve other toilet facilities. The team is working hard to refurbish a toilet next to the Grooms’ Room Bookshop to ensure it is fully accessible for all. Over by the Mansion Tea-room in the Brewhouse toilets work is underway to install a Changing Places toilet. The Changing Places toilet will provide a safe and comfortable location for visitors who need access to facilities which have enough space and the right equipment fitted.
Mr Agnew added: “We have been working hard over the past ten years to improve visitor facilities here at Attingham, so it’s fantastic when we can open another element. New toilets have been in hot demand from our visitors and I’m very proud that we’ve been able to install these brand new toilets and improve others to allow for more accessibility.”
The new stables toilets are just the beginning to the improvements being made within the stables courtyard, as part of Attingham’s ‘The Stables: Reworking a Grand Design’ project. Over the coming year, work will begin to expand the Carriage House Café to include more seating and a wider choice of menu and a biomass boiler will be installed to produce green energy to serve the site.
