Granada’s secondary glazing helps guests get a quiet night’s sleep in historic hotel

For more than 650 years, The Salisbury Arms Hotel has maintained a commanding presence in the centre of Hertford where its visitors over the centuries have included Oliver Cromwell and ‘Black Tom’ Fairfax, as well as a few resident ghosts.

Happily, today’s guests can sleep even more peacefully in the unique Grade II listed building thanks to the installation of Granada Glazing’s bespoke secondary glazing system that has eliminated intrusive traffic noise from nearby streets.

The primary windows could not be changed due to the property’s Listed status and their retention was important to preserve its original architectural character. Secondary glazing is often the preferred option to improve acoustic performance in historic or listed properties, including those in conservation areas.

Secondary glazing offers a discreet, cost-effective and efficient solution in reducing the emission or intrusion of noise levels by up to 80%, or 54dB. An added benefit is improved thermal insulation by up to 70%, helping to retain heat and lower energy bills.

Granada Glazing’s technicians installed a combination of 51 vertical and horizontal sliding units with 6.4mm and 6.8mm acoustic laminated glass for maximum performance to dramatically cut noise levels in the 35 guest bedrooms. All the slimline aluminium frames were finished in anthracite grey to match the colour of the existing windows. 

Rob Cottam, Commercial Sales Manager at Granada Secondary Glazing comments: “We absolutely love working on buildings like this, which boast such rich history and tradition. Dating back to the Middle Ages, the building naturally comes with listed status, meaning the current owners were largely unable to alter the existing windows. They approached us to help combat the external noise from busy surrounding roads that was causing issues for guests, particularly at night.

“We specified a mixture of our vertical and horizontal sliding units – dependant on the type of primary window – with 6.4mm and 6.8mm laminate glass. The higher glass specification was an absolute necessity given the needs of the client; we had to put a proposal together that we knew would deliver effective results in terms of acoustic performance.

“The feedback we’ve had from the client has been fantastic. We’ve been able to help eradicate the external noise that was troubling guests whilst still maintaining the unique stylings of the primary windows. It’s a great example of how our products can blend seamlessly within historic buildings.”

Suitable for all property types, Granada’s slimline aluminium secondary glazing frames can be powder coated in over 200 RAL colours. Virtually invisible, they blend in with any interior décor. The Granada Glazing product range encompasses hinged, sliding, vertical sliders, including tilt back, and lift-out options.

Granada Glazing partners with architects and specifiers on the design, manufacture and supply of high quality commercial secondary glazing for all sectors and building types across the UK.