Redhill Place flats were at the top of a hill on the outskirts of the city. Ten floors high, from the east side they overlooked a cemetery. Views from the west saw the railway line heading north. Redhill Primary School was opposite the main entrance and to the rear were garages and bike sheds. City Council wanted to demolish these old flats and rebuild on the same spot. Their plan being that current residents would retain their tenancies and be moved to temporary accommodation nearby, while the rebuild took place.

Tanya worked for City Council and was part of the team involved in the Redhill Flats project. She was tasked with monitoring the surveillance cameras covering use of the stairs and single lift which serviced the building. Planners were considering a second lift for the new build.

Her surveillance began at 4am on the Friday morning and would end at midday, when her colleague Rob would take over for the afternoon. She and Rob were selected for the task as they both lived in the Redhill Place flats, so had first hand knowledge of the building. Provided with a spreadsheet, they were to record details of time and number of people using stairs or lift, coming down and going up from the main entrance.

At 03.45am Tanya settled in front of the surveillance screens with a flask of coffee and snacks to keep her going throughout the morning. Security staff were on hand to cover, should she need to take a break. The first hour passed with little movement on the stairs or the lift, but by 05.30am the flats began to come to life. Shift workers, early morning dog walkers and joggers were up and about. Joggers used the stairs, fast-stepping all the way down. On the way back they would bound up the steps two at a time.

“All part of their morning exercise…” mused Tanya, who lived on the top floor and seldom used the stairs.

Dog walkers mainly used the lift, unless they lived on the first floor which only meant two sets of steps. Dogs seemed to enjoy the challenge of stairs on the way back, pulling at the lead while their owners took their time. Shift workers on the way out might take the stairs, whilst those returning from a long night shift would be glad of the lift, regardless of how high they were going.

The postman arrived with a Royal Mail trolley. He had no option but to use the lift. Smartly dressed office workers - “the suits” Tanya called them - heading for early train connections into the city, came next. She saw them check their watches as they fast-stepped down the stairs like the joggers, rather than wait for the lift to arrive at their floor. Then came “the secretaries” and “department store girls” pouting into the lift mirror as they painted on lipstick. Tanya had nicknames for them all, although that wasn’t part of the spreadsheet information!

Next in the lift were Mums with pushchairs, taking youngsters to nursery and primary school. Older schoolboys would bound down the stairs, leaping over the last three steps before racing out of the main entrance.

School rush over, next using the lift were older tenants. Retired gentlemen on their way to buy a newspaper, or elderly ladies with wheeled shopping trolleys, heading out for some groceries.

Sipping coffee and biting into a cheese scone, Tanya was enjoying the surveillance. She found it interesting to note the change in type of lift and stairs user, depending on the time of day.

Parcel delivery men arrived at various times, mainly taking the lift going up and the stairs coming down.

Gas and electric meter readers with clipboard and pen, took the the lift, stopping at each floor.

The last one noted on her spreadsheet was the girl carrying a beautiful bouquet of flowers. Recognising a delivery from the local florist, Tanya watched her check the label before selecting a floor from the lift buttons.

“Someone’s about to get a lovely surprise…” she said as Rob arrived to take over for the afternoon.

Glancing at Tanya’s notes on the spreadsheet, he asked

“Been much action then…?”

Heading out the door, Tanya laughed. Soon she would become a record on Rob’s spreadsheet, taking the lift to her home on the top floor of Redhill Place flats.

“Standard Redhill Place morning really. You might have more excitement though, what with Friday night revellers and all that…!”