Case Study: JD Sports, Liverpool One
Hailed by then Deputy Prime Minister, John Prescott, as ‘a new urbanism’, the Paradise Project in the heart of Liverpool One is a £920-million, 42-acre regeneration programme that has helped transform the city and establish it as the European Capital of Culture. Featuring strongly in this mixed-use, retail-led project is major UK sports fashion retailer, JD Sports Fashion Plc. Since June 2008, a total of seven Stannah lift products operate within their brand-new flagship branch in the eponymous Paradise Street, one of six districts comprising the development.
On the strength of the successful installation of a Stannah A2S down-escalator in the Slough branch of JD Sports, Stannah were once again approached to quote for their three-storey Liverpudlian store. As a result, two Stannah A2S escalators (one up, one down), an exclusive 8-person Maxilift MXL passenger lift and four 50kg Microlifts, for the transport of smaller merchandise between stock rooms and fitting floors, now provide all people- and goods-moving requirements within this thriving outlet.
Laying the foundations
London Design Consultants, Dalziel and Pow, and James Roberts of Consultant Project Managers, R N Humphreys, worked very closely with JD Sports in designing the layout of the premises to reflect the corporate theme that runs throughout its 430 stores nationwide: a contemporary and minimalistic clear glass, matt black and brushed stainless steel. Stannah echoed this theme in the passenger lift and escalators, all three products being finished in brushed stainless steel with the escalators having clear-glass balustrades topped with matt-black, extra-slim handrail guide frames. Appearance played a secondary role with the Microlifts which were finished in neutral baked enamel for durable service behind the scenes.
Project overview
Contract Manager, Ryan McShane of H & J Martin, the contractors responsible for constructing the site, explains:
“Being a new build without any particular challenging considerations and constraints, all lift installations were fairly straightforward and completed on target, if not ahead.”
Seven seam-free installations
The comparative ease of installation is reiterated by the installation personnel for each lift type.
“Installation can be a complex part of any project, particularly in a fast track shop-fitting environment, as it requires a considerable amount of enabling work to be handled correctly by the main contractor both before and during the installation. This includes provision of a suitable lift shaft and mechanical and electrical services, and making good around the lift entrances once installed. However, in this instance, the installation went very smoothly apart from a couple of last-minute issues.“Firstly, installation of the phone line for the lift emergency communication unit was late and, secondly, there was a need to modify our equipment to prevent access to the top floor by unauthorised people. Due to our good working relationship with the customer and with the main contractor we quickly resolved these issues enabling us to put the lift into service in time for the staff to use to get the store ready for opening.”
"Because access to the store was easy and the escalators themselves were not especially long, we were able to install them in one piece. The build was swift and simple and completed in the one-week allocation per escalator. During testing and commissioning it was found that, in order to comply with BSEN115 safety standards, head guards had to be fitted to the intersection where the escalator passes the next floor level. This was completed before the machines were signed off and put into service. The installation was completed and handed over a fortnight ahead of schedule, ready for the store to use.”
“The four 50kg Microlifts were installed over a four-day period and commissioned within one day. The project went fairly smoothly with no major problems. We have installed a good number of lifts for JD Sports and have a good working relationship with them.”