Health and Safety

Allergies, Intolerances & Aversions

Most of these allergies & intolerances being catered for are for food & drink, but we will be taking these and any others into consideration when arranging decoration, activities etc.  If these affect you for decorations etc, please also do let us know if there are known safe brands etc (eg for candles, soap etc).  We will work to ensure everyone is able to enjoy their food, regardless of whether they are day guests coming for dinner, or evening guests who might want some of the late night nibbles or desserts.  Please let us know if you have allergies or intolerances, but know that we're already considering the following (please still let us know even if your allergy already appears on this list so that we can ensure there's enough for everyone - and particularly if you have an airborne allergy):

• Fresh oranges (including airborne)
• Raw tomatoes
• Tomato puree
• Soy
• Gluten
• Latex (including airborne)
• Rubber (including airborne)
• Oranges
• Limes
• Grapefruit
• Pineapple
• Kiwi
• Peaches
• Nectarines
• Apricot
• Plum
• Raw potato
• Coloured veg
• E102 Tartrazine
• E104 Quinoline Yellow
• E110 Sunset Yellow
• E120 Cochineal
• E124 Poncheau 4A
• E129 Allura Red
• Duck feathers/down
• Scented candles
• Scented soaps
• Lanolin/linalool
• Lillies
• Scented air fresheners
• Animals with fur
• Onion
• Sulphites
• Wine
• Champagne
• Dairy
• Eggs
• Fish
• Seafood
• Tree nuts

Diets catered for:

• Vegan (and by extension vegetarian, pescetarian, etc)
• Low carb
• Low sugar/Diabetic
• Celiac/Gluten Free

Wheelchair Access

The pavilion, and therefore the evening reception, is fully wheelchair accessible.  The pavilion door has a small bump, but this should be manageable in a wheelchair whether manual or powered.  The toilet corridor is quite tight, and may be difficult for wheelchairs, particularly those with long bases.  This may require a multi-point turn at the end of the corridor to turn around.

Outdoors, there are flat routes but these flat paths are gravel or grass, and therefore can be rough.  The castle grounds are also on a hill, which may be more difficult for those with top heavy chairs or manual chairs.  It is recommended that wheelchair users are dropped off at the castle to minimise the hills required - they can use the flat(-ish) path to the pavilion here.

Similarly, the ceremony should be accessible via relatively flat/smooth paths. However, if the weather is bad and the ceremony has to move inside, our current plan is for the long gallery in the castle, which is up stairs.  This is not wheelchair accessible, but we are not currently aware of any ceremony guests using wheelchairs.  If any of our ceremony guests do require a wheelchair, please let us know as soon as you become aware as we can move the ceremony to the pavilion which is wheelchair accessible.

Stairs

The only inclusion of stairs would be if the ceremony needs to be moved inside.  Our current plan is to move this to the long gallery in the castle, which is up stairs.  Please let us know if you are attending the ceremony and will struggle or be unable to manage stairs as we may be able to plan around this and can move the ceremony to the pavilion if necessary.

There are also stairs outside when walking from the parking area to the pavilion.  However, it is possible to walk around on gradual hill paths.  If either of these is difficult, please ensure you are dropped off at the castle, where you can walk on flatter paths with no stairs.

Toilets

The main stalls and urinals toilets have a single step to enter them.  However, there are accessible toilets both in the castle for ceremony guests and in the pavilion for the evening.  All toilets are considered gender neutral.  The bathroom with stalls comprises a number of private stalls and a shared sink area.  The bathroom with urinals comprises shared area urinals and sinks, and one private stall.  The accessible toilets are individual, private toilets with sinks and floor to ceiling doors.

Outdoor Terrain

The castle and grounds are set on a hill.  This means that ground is often uneven.  While there are smooth lawns and flattened paths, these are grass and gravel, and therefore may create some difficulties.  Please get in touch if you're concerned about any of this.

Seating

There should always be an option to sit, wherever you are.  However, if you particularly require a seat and cannot stand for long periods, please let us know so that we can ensure there is always a seat reserved and available for you.

Accessibility - Mobility

Accessibility - Sound & Vision

We are very happy to make any adjustments to ensure you are well catered for.

Sound

We hope to hire a mobile PA system for both the ceremony and the reception speaches to ensure that everyone can hear.  For those that use induction loops, we can additionally ensure that this is available for you.  Please let us know if this is something that would help you.  Please also let us know if there's anything else that would help you to hear everything, whether that's where you sit, or any other adjustments.

Lighting

Our ceremony is due to be outside, and we hope there will be plenty of natural light.  In the evening, there are lamps around the pavilion to help you see your way.  Moving through the grounds more widely, such as to the parking, you may require additional light from your phone.  We will also have flashlights available if you need them. 

In the pavilion, we will endeavour to have sufficient light to see your way around without any concerns, but keep the lighting soft and comfortable.