movemanSKG King of the Castle

The John Lewis Partnership, one of the top 10 UK retailers, recently invested in a movemanSKG ISO-A dumb waiter service lift for its exclusive staff holiday home – Brownsea Castle, located on Brownsea Island opposite Poole in Dorset. Used to transport food, the lift serves the castle’s dining room from the kitchen, facilitating swift, efficient customer service.

Brownsea Island has a long, rich heritage. It hosted Baden Powell’s first Boy Scout camp in 1907, and was set up with flares during World War II to mislead German night bombing aircraft. Brownsea Castle dates back to the sixteenth century, when King Henry VIII built it to guard the entrance to Poole Harbour. The island was sold to the National Trust in 1961, and the castle leased to the John Lewis Partnership.

The island is now a haven for wildlife and an area of exceptional natural beauty. The John Lewis Partnership offers Brownsea Castle’s 30 bedrooms to its employees (known as Partners because they own the business) at a reduced cost for holidays. Guests enjoy activities such as fishing, swimming, and relaxing on the castle’s private beach. movemanSKG’s ISO-A dumb waiter lift means the busy kitchen can get food to where its needed quickly.

Brownsea Castle’s ISO-A travels over four metres between two floors and carries loads of up to 100kg. Finished in stainless steel, it is easy to clean and ideal for a food preparation area. Vertical bi-parting doors allow easy access.

Ted Weager, Senior Project Engineer for the John Lewis Partnership, is pleased; "Brownsea Castle has limited space and is a listed building, which means laws restrict physical alterations. These issues complicated our requirements but movemanSKG quickly came up with a suitable design at a competitive price. Our ISO-A dumb waiter lift is an outstanding product and meets all expectations."

movemanSKG’s ISO-A dumb waiter is popular with pubs, hotels and restaurants. Options include an intercom and a heated shelf, which keeps food warm on its way to the dining area. The ISO-A comes in various sizes and is customisable to suit bespoke requirements, making it versatile and suitable for a wide range of applications.