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Case Studies
Harrods Department Store, Knightsbridge, London

Harrods Store, Knightsbridge, London

Industry

Retail

Expertises

Working at Height

Safety Circle steps used in this project

Consultancy & Audit,

Installation Solutions

Harrods - Travelling Gantry - Case Study

The Building

Harrods, located in London’s prestigious Knightsbridge, is one of the world's most iconic luxury department stores. Known for its architectural grandeur and attention to detail, Harrods continues to set the standard for elegance and innovation in retail environments.

The requirements

The client required a solution to safely access the internal face of the glazed atrium roof above the new escalator for cleaning and general maintenance purposes. Additionally, lighting fixtures located within the atrium would need periodic maintenance. Given the high visibility of the installation, situated directly above a main escalator within the store, maintaining impeccable aesthetics was a critical requirement.

The Solutions

We designed a bespoke travelling gantry system to provide safe and efficient access along the full length of the atrium. The gantry operates on discreet monorails installed at each side of the atrium, and is moved manually along the rails using a rope-driven trolley system, eliminating the need for any electrical connection and preserving the building’s aesthetic integrity.

To allow access to the apex of the atrium, a step unit section was incorporated into the centre of the gantry, giving users an elevated working position. When not in use, the gantry is stored neatly in a recessed area at one side of the atrium. To further enhance the discreet design, one side of the gantry was clad to match the internal façade panels, rendering the system virtually invisible when not deployed.

Harrods Store - Escalator 5 - Case Study

The Outcome

Our bespoke travelling gantry delivered a perfect balance of functionality and design excellence for Harrods. The discreet, rope-driven system allows safe and efficient maintenance access without impacting the store’s prestigious interior. Thanks to careful detailing — including matching cladding panels and recessed storage — the gantry remains virtually invisible when not in use.

The result is a seamless solution that upholds Harrods’ exacting standards for quality, safety, and aesthetics, and demonstrates our ability to deliver highly customised, architecturally sympathetic access systems in the most demanding environments.