Product category:
Floors
News Release from: Gradus Group | Subject: E Esplanade Plus barrier matting
Edited by the Buildingtalk Editorial
Team on 27 September 2007
Gradus supply cricket pitch sized
entrance mat
Esplanade Plus barrier matting was supplied and fitted by Gradus for Bishops Stortford Shopping Centre.
A primary barrier mat the size of a cricket pitch, and one of the largest installed in Europe, is helping to keep the main entrance of the new extension to the Jackson Square Shopping Centre in Bishops Stortford buzzing with happy shoppers The Esplanade Plus barrier matting is 22 metres wide and 3 metres deep, and was supplied and fitted by Gradus, working with the flooring contractor Town and Country Flooring of St Ives, Cambridgeshire
This article was originally published on Buildingtalk on 25 Oct 2004 at 8.00am (UK)
Related stories
Gradus Stair Edgings Follow ADM Guidelines
Gradus has launched a range of new stair edgings to meet the guidelines published in the Building Regulations Approved Document M (ADM).
Gradus Helps College Keep New Interiors Clean
Topguard, the heavy duty primary entrance matting, from Gradus, has been specified for St Pauls Catholic College, which needed a high performance entrance matting solution.
A heavy-duty mat, Esplanade Plus is designed for high volumes of pedestrian and wheeled traffic, making it ideal for busy retail environments.
Specified with Latte (brown) wipers to complement the adjoining floorcovering, the matting was fitted in a "brickbond" pattern so that the joins between the separate sections are not visible, providing an uninterrupted visual appearance that helps to keep footfall flowing in the new centre.
In fact, over 100,000 shoppers are estimated to have walked over the matting in the opening Bank Holiday weekend alone, as shoppers were drawn to the new 73,000 sq ft Sainsbury's store, which is the "anchor" for the development.
Further reading
Gradus helps Willows residents feel at home
Fabrics from Gradus have been fitted at the Willows Nursing Home, Chester, providing a home from home feel to the interior, whilst still meeting performance and safety requirements.
Great Strands for Weston House
Gradus Fabrics have been fitted throughout Weston House, a new transitional care hotel at Great Ormond Street Hospital.
Gradus launches new systemmatics concept
New Gradus Barrier Matting Systems Catalogue providcontractors and specifiers with a single point of reference and a one stop shop for all matting requirements.
A regular stream of new retailers and food/restaurant outlets is now moving into the centre, which is a Wilson Bowden Developments project, designed by architects Broadway Malyan.
Jackson Square Shopping Centre Manager, Grace Bagster commented: "We have opened with a flying start, with shoppers drawn into the new centre by the high quality retailers.
The main entrance is particularly wide to allow easy flow of visitors into the centre and gives direct access on to the travelator, which services the main retail outlets, so it has to withstand heavy footfall.
"With the poor summer weather, it's also been vital that the matting removed and retained dirt and moisture to prevent visitors' slipping and helped to keep the rest of the floor surfaces clean during the day.
So far, it's been a great success." At the rear of the centre in a new public square, Wilson Bowden City Homes also developed 200 apartments, with a mix of properties for private sale and affordable housing.
Gradus also supplied and fitted Topguard primary barrier matting in the entrance wells to each of the three blocks of apartments.
In addition, Town and Country specified Gradus stair edgings for each of the six communal staircases in the residential development, in line with The Building Regulations 2000 Approved Document M guidelines for improving staircase safety by reducing the risk of slips, trips and falls.
David Bufton, Contracts Manager for Town and Country Flooring, said: "We have worked closely with Wilson Bowden for many years and we provided the floorcoverings for the shopping centre entrances, all the apartment communal areas and for the letting apartments.
"Given the size of the main entrance at the shopping centre and the way footfall would flow as people headed for the travelators, we knew we needed very durable matting in a colour that would match the overall scheme.
We also had to be certain that the matting would not lift or curl at the edges if it was laid as separate mats.
"Gradus has been a supplier for many years and we have worked closely with them throughout the project, as they offered a complete project management service, from site measuring through to installation.
They recommended a "brickbond" laying pattern, staggering the individual mats and interlocking them, so that the first impression is one seamless mat, which is literally the size of a cricket pitch.
We were all pleased with the result." David adds: "Specifying Gradus' stair edgings and trims on the residential stairwells was also an easy decision.
With the quality of Gradus products, there is no risk of worn or slippery stair edges, so it gives us complete peace of mind".
Esplanade Plus is a primary barrier mat constructed with an aluminium base, supported by rigid PVC-u bridging strips, which provide good point loading.
The aluminium scrapers are interspersed with 100% nylon wipers, which provide optimum moisture and dirt retention.
The product has been tested with heavily laden trolleys, high heels and has a B1 fire rating as standard.
Topguard is manufactured from rubber wipers interwoven with nylon fibres and linking strips in either aluminium, PVC-u or brass, bound with galvanised steel wires.
Gradus supplies a complete range of matting systems for shopping centres, airports, hospitals, educational buildings, banks, cinemas and many other high traffic areas.
A specialist in contract interior solutions, Gradus also offers an extensive portfolio of flooring accessories, wall protection, floorcoverings, soft furnishings and lighting.
For further information on the full range of barrier matting available from Gradus,.
• Gradus Group: contact details and other news
• Email this article to a colleague
• Register for the free Buildingtalk email newsletter
• Buildingtalk Home Page
Search the Pro-Talk network of sites
