Useful Information

Staying At Lower Mill Estate

Before arriving for your stay at LME please be aware that the entrance is manned by a Security Warden at peak periods (Friday and Saturdays) but there is Key Entry Pad at the New Main Entrance Gate – the entry code will be given in an email prior to your stay as the code is changed yearly.

On Arriving at the Estate, please have your Gate Entry Code ready to use and also the map of how to get to the property. This Gate Entry Code is also used around the estate at various gates around the lakes on the walking routes.

If there is a Security Warden then please let them know that you will be staying at "16 Howells Mere (Indian Summer)" and have your Parking Permit on display.

You will need to have downloaded the following documents and have them with you at your arrival.
- Parking Permit - should be filled in and placed on dashboard at all times.
- Lower Mill Estate Code of Conduct - guests must read and fully understand these prior to their arrival and adhere to the rules during their stay.
- Estate Map with Directions to 16 Howells Mere.

The estate roads are narrow and used by walkers, cyclists and children and therefore have a 10mph speed limit. Please be extremely careful when driving around the estate especially watching out for children and wildlife (rabbits, wild birds).

Parking: The Parking space for 16 HM is 3 spaces from the front of the house (infront of 17 HM) and has a pole with number 16 on it. If someone is parked there or there is not enough space please check if you can identify the house where the car is from (see if a Parking Permit displayed) and ask politely for them to make space or move their car as you are staying at HM16. Worst case contact the Estate Office and inform them on 01285 869184. If you have more than one car please find a space with a V (visitor) sign nearby or use one of the overflow car parks. Please do not park on the grass verges.

Entry Information: Keys, Keysafe, Alarm etc

The House Keys are found in a Key Safe mounted next to the front door and near the Indian Summers number 16 sign. The front door key and alarm swipe keyfob is found in this keysafe. The code to unlock/lock the keysafe will be supplied to you separately via email as it is changed quite often.

To open and close the key safe, remove the rubber weatherproof cover, enter the code via the number buttons and then press downwards the button at the top of the front of the safe. This opens the whole front (keypad) of the keysafe. To lock the Key Safe you must enter the code again and press the button at the top downwards and press the keypad fascia back into place.

The front door lock is opened via the key and also locked using the key, even from the inside – it does not lock shut when you close the door from the inside, you have to lock the door using the key from the inside.

ON ENTERING THE HOUSE for the first time:

Turn the alarm off if switched on – a buzzer will sound if switched on.
The alarm is found inside the cupboard to the right as you enter next to the front door (the coat/shoe cupboard). To switch the alarm on and off use the Black Circular plastic keyfob on the House keyring found in the key safe and press it against the top left hand corner of the alarm box where there is an illuminated logo for the alarm.

Turn on the Mains Water if the water is switched off (stopcock tap found in a small hatch door in the main bedroom en-suite bathroom in between the Sink and the Toilet). If water is not flowing sufficiently from any tap open the hatch door and locate the stopcock which is on the righthand side and turn the stockcock so that water flows from the bathroom tap.

The Hot Water and Central Heating controls are linked to Hive control system. The central heating and water can be controlled via the thermostat that can be found on the wall opposite the main downstairs bathroom. The Hot water is currently set to switch on at 6:30am to 9:00am and 6:00pm to 9:00pm. Also if needed turn the Central Heating to Timer mode. This is currently set to switch on at 6:30am to 9:00am and 6:00pm to 10:00pm. In the Winter, you will need to turn all radiator values to high and the thermostat to desired temperature (19-22). Please be economical with your heating requirements. If you require a one hour boost of heating or hot water there are Boost Button on the top of the Thermostat that will enable this.

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Leaving the House at the End of your stay

On a day to day basis we would not expect you to use the alarm when you exit the house. The Estate is very safe but we would expect you to lock windows and the front door on leaving the house.

ON LEAVING THE HOUSE AT THE END OF YOUR STAY

Please leave the house as you found it, please put all dirty dishes in the dishwasher and switch on, leave all used sheets and pillow cases etc, on the beds and towels in the bath.

Lock all doors, please ensure that all Decking doors are locked (that is handles are down) and all internal room doors are closed.

Turn off all appliances at the Electrical Mains points on the wall. Except for the Fridge/Freezer.

Take all rubbish bags to the Rubbish bins found in the Black Shed opposite number 13 Howells Mere.

Please check and ensure all taps are closed and not left running.

Please remember to leave the two Artspa Passes (Mrs Khebbal and Guest passes) in the Black Guest Folder. There will be a £25 charge if we have to replace Artspa passes.

Please bring and store the outdoor furniture cushions (see below).

Turn the alarm ON. Alarm is found inside the cupboard to the right as you enter next to the front door. Switching the alarm on use the Black Circular plastic keyfob on the House keyring and press it against the top left hand corner of the alarm box. The buzzer will sound and you must exit the front door and lock the door – please check it is locked by turning the handle.

Return the House Keys to the Keysafe outside the front door. Place the keys in the Key Safe mounted next to the front door and near the Indian Summers number 16 sign. The code to unlock/lock the keysafe will be supplied to you separately via email. Enter the code and press down the button at the top of the front of the safe, to open and close the safe.

Housekeeping Information

Indian Summer is our second home and we only have friends and family stay and do not rent to the public. Therefore please treat the house like it is your home also. Please leave the house in the way that you found it. We have left plenty of linen, towels and toiletries and some food and drink. Please feel free to use them.

Bed linen and towels are provided for 6 people. You will need to bring your own swimming pool towels or hire them from the Spa at £1 each. Hairdryer and iron can be found at the house.

Staying as our guest includes all utilities and use of the Spa and all leisure facilities (treatments are extra).

2 Artspa passes can be found in the black Guest folder in the Lounge. You will need ONE pass to enter the Artspa and Pool area via the automatic swipe lock doors. There are swipe entry locks on the Main Artspa doors and the internal doors to the swimming changing rooms and Spa rooms and Gym. If the Artspa is lost a charge of £25 is payable to replace the card - so please look after and return them after your stay. Also you will need a £1 for the a towel if you do not have your own swimming towel. Please do not use the house towels.

Fishing Passes can be found in the Guest Folder in the Lounge and they allow you to fish the lakes around LME. Please see Fishing at LME on the Activities Page.

The cushions for the outside furniture on the upper decking can be found stored under the sofa in the living room and next to the dining room table.

Please treat this outdoor furniture with respect and do not sit on it without cushions. Although the cushions are designed to withstand some water they are not designed to be left outside for long periods of time. So please ensure you clean up spills quickly and remember to bring them in at night, when its raining and when you leave the house at the end of your stay. Please also remember not to leave the outdoor parasol/umbrella up and please bring this in also when you leave. The umbrella is liable to tip over if there is any wind so please be careful when positioning the umbrella. It is best wedge against the side wall.

The house has all cleaning equipment that you may need but we recommend taking some dishwasher tablets and washing tablets (just in-case). There are spare sheets, towels in each room.

The kitchen is well equipped with plenty of pans and stacks of cutlery and crockery as well as the usual appliances such a microwave, 5-burner hob, 2 ovens, washer/dryer and fridge/freezer. There is also a selection of cookery books and utensils for use with the BBQ. We normally leave a selection of tea, coffee, sugar, biscuits, salt and pepper and some basic food, plus basic cleaning items, dishwasher tablets, toilet rolls, bin liners etc Please feel free to use these but please try and replace them if you finish them.

We also leave some logs for the log burner but if you plan to stay for a longer period then please pick some up from any petrol station for your stay.

On the upper decking there is a charcoal powered BBQ. Some ready to light charcoal should be available with the BBQ, If you use all of it please replace if you can. Please also clean the BBQ and utensil after use.

General rubbish can be disposed of in the binstore which is locate in the black Boathouse opposite house no 13 Howells Mere. Larger recycling is located behind willow fences next to the Main overflow carpark near the entrance.

Cameras at the House

We have recently installed 2 internet cameras for monitoring the property when empty and for viewing the lake when we are away from LME.

The first camera is positioned in the Entrance Hallway and points at the Front door to monitor people/workmen entering the property.

The second camera is positioned in the 1st floor window above the dining area and is used to view the lake outside and also monitor any activity in the open plan living room and kitchen/dining room.

Both cameras are pan and tilt cameras and can record video and sound.

These are purely for our own use so we can enjoy the lake view and also monitor any people/workmen entering or working at the property.

As guests of the property we value your privacy so will switch off the video and audio recording and monitoring on both cameras for the duration of your stay.

We are also happy for you to switch off the cameras at the mains switch, if you feel this would make you more comfortable during your stay.

Although, please don't forget to switch the cameras back on at the mains switches, at the end of your stay.

WiFi and other Entertainment Equipment

Indian Summer is equipped with Gigaclear Ultra fast Broadband and Wifi.

The Wifi password will be supplied in an Email once you have confirmed your stay at the house.

If you have a modern smart phone it is advised that you use Wifi Calling which can be set on your phone to make telephone calls via Wifi. This is because the Telephone Network reception is limited on the estate.

The Wifi Router and manual are found on the brown bookshelf in the Lounge upstairs.

If you have any issues please reboot the router and connect again.

The Smart TV in the Lounge, and the Nintendo Wii games machine in the Den, are connected to the Wifi so may need to re-connect if the router is rebooted.

Please note that the TV connected to the Wii Games machine in the Den can not receive TV programmes and is purely a games monitor.

Please note the Samsung TV is a smart TV and has access to various Film Channals like Amazon Prime/GoogleTV, NetFlix etc So if you have a login from home please use this to download films, TV Series etc.. If the Film App (NetFlix etc) is not installed please install and login).

To use the Panasonic DVD Home Theater Sound System with TV press FM/Ext-IN until display shows D-IN (Digital Input) then use the Panasonic remote to control volume etc.

Water Safety on the Lakes

Buoyancy Aids/Life Jackets must be worn at all times when using the lakes. This applies to canoes, kayaks paddle boards and boats/dinghies.

As well as a basic safety precaution, it is also a condition of the Estate’s Insurance.

Estate staff will ask anyone not wearing a Buoyancy Aid/Life Jacket to leave the lake immediately. So please:

Make sure that you and your family and friends are all wearing Buoyancy Aids/Life Jackets when on the lakes.

Be aware that anyone not wearing a Buoyancy Aid will be asked to leave the lakes.

Regrettably there have been some instances of Estate staff being abused when they have asked people to leave the lakes, This is obviously not acceptable.

We can prevent this by ensuring that everyone wears a Buoyancy Aid/Life Jacket.

With respect to open water swimming, please remember to take appropriate precautions. The lakes are not supervised.

We are very fortunate to have access to the lakes, let’s make sure we use them safely.

Use of Our Kayaks

We have two Kayaks that are available to use - but at your own risk and we take no liability for any issues that may arise out of their usage. Please ensure that anyone who uses them are able to swim and must wear a life vest.
The Kayaks are located on hanging brackets on the left hand outside of the house. They are locked via a combination lock. The combination will be provided after booking. Once the lock and chain have been removed you must place a rubber drainage scupper plug (stored in the central Locking Dry Hatch) back in drainage hole to prevent leaks.
The life vests, paddles and seats are located on the lower deck in a plastic storage box.
Once the kayaks have been unlocked, the seats must be installed. Place the seats in the seating position as show in the pictures to the right. Take each of the 4 gold metal buckle hooks and attach them to the D-rings at the front and rear of the seat. Then adjust the tension on the seat straps for comfort.
The paddles come in two pieces and can be used as a single paddle or snapped together to form a 2 headed paddle. Please keep the rubber stoppers for paddle poles safe if snapping the paddles together.
You can launch the kayaks onto the lake between the decking of HM16 & HM17
When exiting the lake it is advisable to have someone on the shore to grab the handle at the front of the kayak and pull the kayak up so that the person can safely step of onto dry land.
When you have finished please take the seat out of the kayak, take the life vest off and please leave to dry on the decking before storing back in the plastic box. Please place paddles back into the box and place the kayaks back on the racks and lock them with the chain and lock - remembering to remove the scupper plug and place back in the Locking Dry Hatch.

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Swans

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Do Not Feed The Birds!

PLEASE DO NOT FEED WILD WATERBIRDS

It could have serious consequences for their health

Swans and geese are designed to eat principally aquatic plants although they may also eat the odd fish, frog or insect. Swans fed large quantities of bread can develop a condition called Angel Wing which deforms their wings and prevents them from flying.

As well as this, feeding waterbirds human food increases nutrient levels in the water which in turn depletes wildlife diversity and can lead to water becoming stagnant and unpleasant.

Finally, in the case of swans, it reduces their natural fear of humans and makes them more aggressive during the breeding season.

The idea behind Lower Mill is that residents and wildlife live side by side in peaceful coexistence and this philosophy has been so successful that it is easy to forget that the beautiful birds and animals you see from the house are actually wild animals that are in no way reliant on people.

THERE IS PLENTY OF NATURAL FOOD FOR ALL THE ANIMALS.

Other Userful Information

Newsagent - The nearest newsagent is the Londis store in
South Cerney. Although papers and some provisions can be bought from the Ballihoo shop.

Taxis - Cirencester Radio Cars 01285 650850 and Keith’s Taxis 01285 860688.

Hospital - Cirencester Hospital and the Great Western Hospital in Swindon.

Useful Numbers for the Estate:
Duty Estate Manager 01285 869184 or dutymanager@lowermillestate.com
ArtSpa Team : 01285 862640 or spa@lowermillestate.net

Lower Mill Estate is constantly evolving and improving the habitat of its’ residents (human and otherwise!). You will therefore see works in some areas. Please note that there is some building work currently happening on Howells Mere. Disruption is kept to a minimum, and does not take place over a weekend.

Please watch your children as the house is overlooking a lake and the estate has several large lakes.

Please consider your neighbours while staying at the house and remember noise carries over opene water and try not to make too much noise after 10pm.

If there are any emergency breakdowns at the house then please contact: Pete Townsend at Lakeview Services (07739 899 284, 01386 642 079, pete@lake-view.biz) and explain that you are guests at 16 Howells Mere and the issue you have. For Heating or Plumbing issues please contact David Strictland at Assured Plumbing (01793 700820, M: 07845 908060). Please also let us know.

Food Waste Policy

New food waste bins will be put in place at all bin stores across the Estate on 13th June 2022.

This initiative will have a positive effect of helping to reduce waste costs by 4% in the coming years, helping LME towards the pledge to deliver an environmentally responsible, carbon-neutral business by 2030.

The food waste bins in the bin stores are marked and are the same size as the glass bins.

We will be providing a food caddie for every property on Friday 10th June 2022.

The following waste can be collected in a biodegradable food bag, to be put into the food waste bins:

Cooked / uncooked / leftover or out-of-date food.
Eggshells
Coffee grounds / tea bags
Vegetable peelings

It is important not to contaminate the bins with plastic bags/plastic food containers etc.

We will provide some biodegradable food bags, but the Ballihoo Market will have these in stock.

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Shopping

There are a selection of supermarkets nearby, also most petrol stations have little supermarkets attached. The big name supermarkets all deliver to LME.

Waitrose – 4.5 miles Address: Sheep Street, Cirencester, GL7 1SZ.

Tesco Extra (24 hours except for Sundays) – 4 miles, Cirencester Extra, Kings Meadow, Cirencester, GL7 1NP.

Lidl - Love Lane Industrial Estate, Cirencester GL7 1YG.

Marks and Spencer – 6 miles, 42 Dyer Street, Cirencester, GL7 2PF.

Jessie Smiths Butchers Farmshop and Cafe : 19 Love Ln, Love Lane Industrial Estate, Cirencester GL7 1YG: The best butchers farm shop and cafe. Great meat and farm products all made at the shop for you to take home. Sad to say that the Cafe is now only doing takeway at Lunch times.

Dobbies Garden Centres: Siddington, Cirencester, GL7 6EU: Great garden centre but also has great cafe, lakeland store, clothes, shoe, book, gift shops and kids play area.

Markets in Circencester: there are various markets in Cirencester. Every Saturday there is a Market in the centre of Cirencester at Market Place just by the Parish Church. There are also independent market stalls in the Corn Exchange and an amazing Antiques Centre spread over a huge house that is found on Market place.