Buzz Coates of Norbain SD has raised over £10,000 for CLIC Sargent, a charity dedicated to caring for children with cancer, by cycling 500 miles in five days.
Retail : Vista ensures discreet security at Asprey
Asprey’s flagship store in New Bond Street is 20,000 square feet of unique British retail opulence. The building is as stunning as the contents of its shelves and display cases. The Asprey brand today extends through jewellery and silverware, watches and pens, leather goods and silk, china and crystal, ready-to-wear, shoes and fashion accessories.
Asprey’s security system was designed into the redevelopment of the store from very early on in the design process. To achieve this Asprey turned to AVT, the Taunton-based installer with an impressive list of existing clients up and down New Bond Street. Managing Director Mark Kemp explains that large projects such as Asprey’s require a completely different approach to installation:
"Standard projects allow a window in the programme to carry out the first fix installation whereas with the large project you have to conform to the main contractors’ programme of works which involves being able to respond to project hot spots as areas become available. This is possible by having a flexible team of engineers on the project from start to finish.
Unusually AVT always request that the control room of an installation is the first area to be completed as this enables the engineers to continue the installation whilst the building is progressing.
The permanently manned control desk features fifteen Samsung flat screens (SMT-151MP) and a PC monitor which hosts remote viewing software. There is a further PC for remote viewing at the Security Reception Desk. Some of the monitors are set to display 16 cameras at once; others are used as ‘call off’ monitors so staff can focus on a particular view at any one time without losing sight of the whole installation. The monitors are further divided between high and low risk cameras. Mark Kemp believes that applying this level of detail to the control room configuration improves the effectiveness of the manned operation. 24-hour recording is onto eight 16-way, 400GB Vadis Digital Video Recorders set at 25 frames per second. Should the security staff need to record suspicious behaviour within the store in real time two Vista Solo DVR with 80GB removable hard disks and flash card functionality (SOLO-80F) are permanently available and set to record at 50 frames per second. The recording cycle is a minimum of 31 days as credit card fraud can often take 4-6 weeks to surface.
A total of 112 cameras are installed around Asprey of which one hundred are white Vista Fixed Domes (VFD4V9C/We), four are miniature Vista bullet cameras and eight are PTZ Vista PowerDomes. Domes are even fitted in the security control room itself.
"System design and sensitive installation is critical in a location like Asprey", says Mark Kemp. "Very sensitive adjustments need to be made to take account of the internal and external lighting conditions, display case glare and even flashback from many of the stunning items on sale. Architectural sensitivity was also essential. For instance the bullet cameras had to be used in one room where a non-ceiling mounted solution was essential because the decorative plaster ceiling is listed. We were also prevented from locating the PTZ domes on the central beam in the main hall as this would compromise the discreet nature of the system as a whole.
Mark Kemp has worked with Norbain since the early 1990s and Norbain has been AVT’s preferred supplier since the company was founded in 2003.
"Norbain provided an excellent service," says Mark "ensuring equipment was on site on the dates requested and when project changes took place were able to assist in supplying equipment at very short notice. Our sales contact at Norbain is very quick to respond."
Another satisfied customer is Neil Phillips, the store’s Security Manager. "From my perspective AVT is an extremely easy contractor to work with. Mark’s engineers are of the highest calibre and do more than you would expect from the type of contract we have with AVT. The equipment we have installed here is pretty much best on the market and it is a privilege to have this kind of kit to use. We experienced no problems with the installation, have developed great trust with AVT and know that when problems arise, as they inevitably do with complex installations, problems will be addressed swiftly with no compromise on the effectiveness of our security. I simply couldn’t ask for more."
AVT has been working with the Asprey group since 1989. Other New Bond Street customers include Tiffany and Co and Watches of Switzerland. AVT is the official partner of Baselworld 2005, the largest Watch and Jewellery Exhibition in the world.
