Holiday accomodation emergency lighting required?

[A J]

Hi All,
What would be your opinion on emergency lighting in a holiday let.

The premises is a recently converted barn (3000sq feet), mostly open plan with 5 bedrooms and a upper floor sitting room and bedroom.

All ground floor bedrooms have their own patio door for egress and the premises is fitted with mains smoke/heat detectors.

Would I be correct in thinking that because of the ammount of exits and the  use of the building (seasonal) they could have torches by the exits rather than fitting an electrical emergency lighting system?

[jokar]

I think that would be acceptable, but you would have to make sure the batteries were ok.

[Dinnertime Dave]

I recently visited a holiday let where a torch was fitted at the top of the stairs. Agreed it was a more traditional layout than the one described above.

Argos do a great one that fits into a plug socket at 9.99. It even turns on automatically on a mains failure. ideal for this situation.

[A J]

Thank you for your input Jokar and dave, someone has informed me that it is possible to buy wind up torches, anyone familiar with these  or is it just a wind up?

[Galeon]

You can also get torches that you shake to charge them , another bonus for all you cocktail lovers.

[kurnal]

The wind up torches are LED based and have an internal battery which you charge by turning the handle- I have one its great and just the job for what you have in mind. In fact I take it round with me to show holiday cottage owners.

In the right circumstances a torch is much more flexible than a fixed emergency lighting unit- especially where its pitch dark outside in the country. But I stress its horses for courses- for example one cottage had a spiral stair for  which I suggested a fixed unit.

The number of rooms, layout and size of building, whether its likley to be one family or multiple families sharing a cottage  are all factors to consider when choosing a solution, deciding how many and where to site them.

[Kaiser]

I have a dynamo torch in the cupboard where my electrical fuse board is, there is a switch on the top to turn it on and off and a small lever which is squeezed in to the body of the torch to give it power.  It's great if the lights go out and I can use it immediately without worrying about batteries or snapping off the winding handle in the dark

[Tom Sutton]

Someone has informed me that it is possible to buy wind up torches, anyone familiar with these or is it just a wind up?

They are available but they are more of a novelty and not suitable for your purpose the plug in type is a better option.

[Kaiser]

here you go mate, have a look here

http://www.towsure.com/category/6906-Hand_Torches

[kurnal]

Mines a Trevor Bayliss and its excellent. I spent 5 minutes winding it up about 6 weeks ago and its still giving good light. Use it to find my way to the car in the dark of the peak district.
The squeeze ones are more of a novelty in my opinion

http://www.windup-products.com/shop/index.php?act=viewProd&productId=24

[A J]

Well what a response!
Thanks to all who have posted, I now have plenty of options to think over,
As usual, you have all been brilliant!!

[Tom Sutton]

I accept I was a little dismissive of wind up torches but main concern was how you find them in the dark especially when you are a stranger to the property. The plug in torch described by Dinnertime Dave turns on automatically on a mains failure.

[AnthonyB]

true - you need a torch to find the torch!

sticking a strip of photoluminescent tape would help, but only if sited in a location that is always normally lit in order to keep the tape 'charged'

[wee brian]

give them a box of matches - is all this really necessary in what is essentially just a house??

[kurnal]

Hang them on a hook next to the bedroom door. People seem to be able to find light switches in the dark without difficulty.

I agree Wee B sometimes we worry too much. But holiday cottages can be shared by more than one family.

Horror of horrors- in some cottages if I find a key operated lock on the front door I dont recommend it be replaced automatically- but in some circumstances would  recommend a hook for the key, a spare key with a fob bigger than pocket size and a torch hanging from the same hook.