Council delighted as Hunstanton Town Hall gets new lift installed
The lift in a historic town hall has finally been replaced after being deemed “so unreliable” that people did not want to risk using it.
Hunstanton Town Council has upgraded the elevator in its Grade II-listed facilities after being awarded a grant of £23,500 from West Norfolk Council under its CIL funding scheme.
The town hall, on The Green, is used for functions and events – and councillors decided that a new, reliable lift was “urgently needed” to allow it to be more accessible for disabled people and residents who struggle with stairs.
Cllr Michael Ruston, the mayor of Hunstanton, said: “The old lift was installed in 2006 and over recent years, a series of problems occurred including a number of breakdowns.
“Following a report from specialist lift engineers G L Lifts, based in Norwich, it became clear that the lift should be replaced, as the current platform was deemed as being at the end of its serviceable life and replacement parts were no longer available.
“The lift was so unreliable that people didn’t want to risk using it.
“Hunstanton Town Council are very grateful to the borough council for their support. Without the new lift, the town hall would not be able to continue to offer the other areas of the venue to the public for hire, the community hub on the lower floor and the council chamber on the higher floor.
“Venues like Hunstanton Town Hall are vital community hubs and it’s important that everyone can access its rooms and events in comfort.”
The historic building has served the town since its completion in 1896 and now, with the new lift, councillors hope it will continue to provide various facilities for Hunstanton for many more years to come.
Hunstanton Town Council thanked Graham and Matthew Loudoun of G L Lifts for their “diligence and expertise in completing the project on time, on budget and to an extremely high standard of finish”.