CCTV specialist Spindlewood has designed and installed a comprehensive CCTV system at a new Beatles-themed hotel in Liverpool.
Spindlewood designed the system at the Hard Day’s Night Hotel to blend in with the stunning architecture of the converted ‘Grade II’ listed building.
It provides security for guests and staff as well as keeping a close eye on the priceless Beatles memorabilia housed throughout the hotel.
Come Together
Located in the ‘Beatles Quarter’ of the city, adjacent to the world famous Cavern Club, the Hard Days Night Hotel creates a unique environment that offers high quality hotel facilities with an exciting and interesting ‘twist’ in the clever presentation of a theme that subtly follows the incredible story of The Beatles.
Hospitality Management International Limited is a specialist in pulling together sub-contractors to deal with all aspects of developing and managing hotels around the country.
Dominic Fitzgerald, director of operations, called in Spindlewood having been impressed with the service the company had provided on other projects in the hospitality sector.
Help!
Fitzgerald said that not only did the memorabilia and specially commissioned artwork have to be protected but “the quality of the fabrics and finishes used in the hotel are of such high quality that we had to have a modern, effective system that would allow us to adequately protect them”.
A total of 25 Vista mini domes have been placed strategically throughout the hotel, covering entrances, exits, bars and other public areas. A further five vandal resistant Vista domes have been installed on the exterior of the building, along the front and side elevations of the hotel.
“We used wide dynamic range (WDR) cameras because we needed them to cope with the huge variant in lighting conditions found in areas such as doorways and the bars,” says Charlie Brownridge, sales director of Spindlewood.
“We’ve used Vista equipment extensively in the past and have never known a camera to go wrong. The reliability of the equipment for the hotel trade is absolutely vital.”
All the footage is fed back to the security manager’s office where it can be viewed on two Vista monitors and two 16-way Vista DVRs.
We can work it out
The hotel was converted from a Grade II listed building dating back to 1884. Designed by Thomas C Clarke, what was known as Central Buildings was constructed in a classic design with imposing marble columns, a feature of the front elevation and the internal spiral staircase.
Although beautiful, this architecture caused a number of challenges for the Spindlewood team. “The amount of marble meant it was quite difficult to install all the cabling and to keep it neatly hidden away,” says Brownridge. “We had to be very clever and very neat to ensure we didn’t detract from the aesthetics of the rooms.”
On a building that has cost millions to renovate, it was imperative that the CCTV system be unobtrusive yet still visible enough to act as a deterrent.
To solve this, Spindlewood had to site the cameras into “visually pleasing” locations rather than where they would most easily achieve the best view.
You won’t see me
Fortunately, because the Vista cameras come in a wide range of colours, finishes and mounting options, Spindlewood was still able to achieve the best fit at each location.
Outside of the building, marble pillars stood in the most likely spots to mount the cameras. But the 3-axis gimble on the cameras enabled Spindlewood to mount and angle them so, although tucked out of the way, they still achieved the optimum view.
“You can’t see them on the building at all, which is exactly what we were trying to achieve,” said Brownridge.
With such a large project, Spindlewood needed to work around the hotel’s schedule. In all, the project took place over a year with installation taking place sporadically throughout to match the timelines set by the client.
“It was quite a challenge to stay focused over the periods where we couldn’t gain access,” said Brownridge. “We had to keep very accurate drawings and notes so that when we could get back on-site we knew the exact status of the installation and what we needed to do next.”
Equipment supplier was Norbain. Said Brownridge: “When we started up eight years ago, Norbain was the only supplier to sit down with us and listen to our needs as if we were a much larger company. We’re now growing rapidly, and the service and attention we receive continues to impress us.”
For Hospitality Management International Limited, Dominic Fitzgerald said: “We’re very happy with the job that Spindlewood has carried out. It was a challenging installation but they have been excellent from the start and have managed to complete the work on-time and on-budget.
“The images we are receiving from the cameras are of a high quality which means that they are admissible in a court of law should it ever be required. The whole system is also very easy to use and provides our on-site security team with an effective tool to further improve the hotel security.”