Tensabarrier® Barriers – how visitor attractions use them to ease visitor flow

Estimated reading time: 10 minutes

The Met Office is predicting ‘warmer-than-average’ conditions for the time of year over the next few months, meaning we could be in for a glorious (and even an Indian) summer.

In fact, at the time of writing, I can see that the sun is shining and the temperature is nudging towards 30°C.

Efficient queueing is important

Efficient queuing is important anytime, but crowd control can be particularly critical when the heat is on. That’s where our retractable queue barriers and other types of queue barriers come in, including those designed for outdoor use. They’re also especially important at airports and visitor attractions.

COVID has (hopefully) somewhat disappeared

It’s true that COVID cases are starting to nudge upwards again. But more people are feeling confident when it comes to enjoying great days out this summer. That’s especially true when they’re outdoors for at least some of the time.

What’s more, we have the Bank Holiday in late August to look forward to, when attractions across the country are likely to be busy.

Where to visit for days out this summer

If you’re thinking about days out this summer, the UK has countless wonderful places to visit.
The list includes:

• museums and castles, 

• stately homes, 

• aquariums, 

• art galleries, 

• theme parks

The right queue barriers can make a difference

No one wants to spend their precious day out standing in queues. But with the right queue barriers in place, no one has to. Here, using two examples of great British venues, we look at how having the right barrier system can help significantly.

Example #1 – Bletchley Park

Our first example is Bletchley Park, near Milton Keynes and the former top-secret home of the famous World War Two code breakers. It’s now a superb heritage attraction. In fact, we were there ourselves recently (in a personal rather than a professional capacity) to enjoy it. Funnily enough, we couldn’t stop thinking about queue management systems and the best way to organise crowds with retractable belt barriers, even on a day off!

Bletchley Park

Bletchley Park – makes great use of Tensabarrier® barriers

Bletchley Park uses Tensabarrier® Retractable Barriers

I noticed Bletchley Park making great use of Tensabarrier® retractable barriers to ease visitor flow as part of its crowd control plan. It was very busy when we visited and it’s likely to remain so all summer. But we saw how the solutions like queue barriers in place made a significant difference to the lines there. That was especially the case with the Tensabarrier® retractable queue barriers, installed across the site.

From the visitors’ centre and entrance area onwards, our retractable belt barrier systems eased queuing and helped considerably with crowd control.

Then when I reached the exhibitions, I could see retractable barriers were used to rope off the various displays the venue has chosen to feature.

Retractable queue barriers are helpful in directing visitor flow

The retractable queue barriers were also helpful in directing visitor flow around the museum at Bletchley Park.

Tensabarrier queue barriers

Custom printed webbing reinforces branding

What’s more, the attraction had custom-printed webbing for its barriers to reinforce its brand identity and create a unique, smart-looking queue-management solution.

As well as helping to organise your queue, custom printed webbing on retractable barriers can deliver specific information and help direct visitors.
This improves both wayfinding and the overall visitor experience.
You can choose your belt colours for your barrier system to suit your company brand along the belt length. Read more about this below.

Effective queue management is important

We could also see how effective the visitor management would be on a hot day. This would minimise how long people had to wait outside. It just goes to show that queue barriers can make all the difference.

Example #2 – Wrest park relies on Tensabarrier® posts

Bletchley Park is not the only visitor attraction using Tensabarrier® posts and queue barriers. Safety barriers are also in use at Wrest Park too.

Wrest Park relies on Tensabarrier barriers

Here, the venue uses them for queue management and to help reduce waiting times, keep the queue organised and improve queue safety.

About Wrest Park

Wrest Park is a Bedfordshire stately home which English Heritage runs, dating from the 1830s. It’s set against the exceptional backdrop of a renewed garden landscape originating in the seventeenth century.
In total, the grounds comprise more than 90 spacious acres, and the garden is the venue’s most attractive feature.
Expect gorgeous countryside views, idyllic woodland walks and some beautiful statues as you take in more than 300 years of landscape design.
You can hire the Orangery and Mansion House for private events.
The house itself is an outstanding, near-exclusive illustration of nineteenth-century English architecture. And it’s inspired by the style of an eighteenth-century French chateau.

Run a visitor attraction & need retractable queue barriers? Talk to us

If you own or run a museum or visitor attraction of any kind anywhere in the UK, contact us at Tensator to discuss how we could help manage visitor flow with barriers for indoor and outdoor use.

After all, visitors only have a limited time at a venue. And the correct signage and visitor flow can help them ensure they see all the highlights while getting the most from their visit. We have solutions for inside and outdoors, including our Tensabarrier® system.

Tensabarrier is unique

This differs from other retractable museum stanchions thanks to its unique braking system and base, which offers better accessibility for wheelchairs and pushchairs.

Lawrence – the original post and rope barriers

Our range of post and rope barrier solutions helps keep visitors a certain distance away from specific exhibitions or cordons off a closed area.
At the same time, they add a touch of style and elegance.
Our range of high-quality brass and chrome stanchions can be matched with either velour or braided rope.

VIP Post & Rope barriers

Safest retractable belt barriers on the market

At Tensator we always take the safety of our belt barriers seriously.
The webbing belt is allowed to retract – or draw back into the barriers – i.e. more slowly than competitor products.
The Tensabarrier patented braking system with retractable barrier posts sets our barriers apart from other retractable barriers on the market.
Making it an outstanding option for your customers as far as safety is concerned.
We don’t believe there’s a better retractable barrier on the current market.
We always ensure there’s sufficient retractable belt length to make these products safe and efficient.
Find out more about our retractable belts today.
Our Tensabarrier® solutions include wall mounted and VIP rope barriers and more.

Need custom printed webbing?

As well as retractable belt barriers, we offer a custom-printed webbing service on all Tensabarrier® barrier systems – and don’t charge for UK delivery.
This means your retractable barrier can be completely tailored to your individual needs and have your company logo.
Whether you need to build your brand or advertise a supplier, bespoke barrier webbing is the ideal choice.

The Tensabarrier® sign holder

This Tensabarrier Sign Holder is an accessory which fits on top of any of our belt barriers or rope barriers.
You can inform your customers or promote a special deal in your gift shop or café or put up a safety notice.
With a steel frame and a clear acrylic pocket, there’s also a plastic sign cone to hold the frame firmly in place.
Just pop your sign into the pocket and it’s good to go.

Buy direct and save

In our online shop, you can buy direct and save on a full range of our safety and rope barriers, whether you want a belt barrier, café barrier or any other kind of queue barrier.
Shop exclusives like the Tensabarrier® Advance Twin Pack and get free UK delivery wherever you’re based on the mainland. What’s more, we typically offer next-day delivery too.

Online shop exclusive

The Tensabarrier twin pack consists of two sturdy queue barrier posts with durable cast iron bases. The twin pack comes with a 3.65m belt which is available in a selection of colours for high visibility. As the safest queue barrier on the market, they come complete with a unique braking system, military-grade webbing and an anti-tamper lock which prevents accidental release. And this product is ideal for visitor attractions, museums and theme parks.

Assembles easily

What’s more, with thicker webbing than similar competitor products, the solution can be easily assembled by just one person – and it’s highly durable.

Barriers that are made to ease the flow of visitors

These are safety barriers that are made to ease the flow of visitors around your attraction or outdoor event this summer. They also provide outstanding permanent and temporary solutions. And they’ll also make people feel safer, too, and this kind of perception is important while some concerns over Covid and social distancing linger.

Tensabarrier – safest retractable barriers on the market

This makes for a more enjoyable, safer and more comfortable experience at events all round, and enhances safety. But at airports too it’s especially important to use things like retractable barrier systems or a retractable belt barrier, not least given the reports of heavy queuing at airports this summer.

We have an extensive range of cafe barriers including a bespoke version to match your brand

We are here to help

Contact us for more information about our queue barrier systems, crowd control solutions, cafe barriers, retractable belt barriers and post and rope systems for your attraction or airport today.