Case Study
Rope Access Restoration Of The Blue Iconic Blue Star – Newcastle
Rope access restoration of the iconic Blue Star at Sandman Signature Newcastle, a tribute to the site’s famous brewing heritage.
01 - Challenge
The problem.
The Blue Star is a distinctive feature high on the former brewery office building, now home to the Sandman Signature Newcastle Hotel. The feature provides a visual link to the site’s famous brewing heritage and the Blue Star emblem associated with Newcastle Breweries. After years of exposure to the elements, the star required specialist restoration, including attention to its finish and lighting. Its high-level position made conventional access difficult, making rope access an efficient solution for safely removing, restoring and reinstating the feature while minimising disruption around the operational hotel.
02 - Solution
What we did.
Our rope access technicians established a safe access system to reach the Blue Star and carefully remove it from its high-level position on the Sandman Signature Newcastle Hotel. Once removed, the star was prepared and repainted, and new LED lighting was installed to restore its appearance both during the day and when illuminated at night. Following completion of the restoration, our technicians used rope access to carefully reinstate the star in its original position. This allowed the work to be completed without the need for extensive scaffolding and with minimal disruption around the hotel.
Restoring A Piece Of Newcastle History
The iconic Blue Star remains a familiar feature of the former brewery building, now home to the Sandman Signature Newcastle Hotel. The feature pays tribute to the site’s famous brewing heritage and the Blue Star emblem associated with Newcastle Breweries.
This project was originally delivered by the team under Custom Coatings & Maintenance, prior to the formation of Asset Access UK. The same rope access experience and specialist high-level maintenance capability now forms part of the service delivered by Asset Access UK.
With the star positioned high on the building, the restoration required a specialist access solution that would allow the work to be completed safely while minimising disruption around the operational hotel.
Rope Access Restoration
Using rope access techniques, the team accessed the Blue Star without the need for extensive scaffolding.
The star was carefully removed to allow the restoration work to be completed. The works included preparation and repainting of the star, together with the installation of new LED lighting.
Once restored, the Blue Star was carefully reinstated in its prominent position high on the building.
The Result
The completed restoration gave the Blue Star a refreshed finish, while the new LED lighting brought the feature back to life after dark and maintained its visual connection to Newcastle’s brewing heritage.
Today, this project forms part of the experience behind Asset Access UK, demonstrating our capability to undertake specialist rope access maintenance, restoration and high-level signage works on difficult-to-access buildings across Newcastle and the North East.
03 - Results
The outcome.
““Their professionalism, expertise, and commitment to delivering high-quality results have been outstanding throughout.””
04 - Photos
On the job.
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