Project: Blackpool Town Hall

Project: Blackpool Town Hall

PA and Emergency Messaging System

Installer: Livewire Systems

The challenge of installing a PA system in a Grade II listed building is an interesting one.  With the installer, Livewire Systems Ltd, we look at the issues they face with working in the newer extension of this building and how they will work to keep the ambience of the original building when they come to updating these areas.

What did the end-user want to achieve for example did the speakers have to fit discreetly into the building design?

Yes, the speakers had to be discrete and fit in with their surroundings. As the system was installed to cover the entirety of the building, the various speaker types had to be appropriate for use in a multitude of different areas. These areas included open plan offices, smaller individual offices, toilets, meeting rooms, cellars, corridors, and facility areas.

The install was quite complex due to the nature of the building and the client was also rather exacting in relation to the standard of the installation. This is, however, the type of scenario that appeals to our install teams, as they are fully focussed and equipped for high quality installations where a sympathetic approach is required.

As this an on-going project will there be a difference in style required between the extension building that you have already completed to the work that will be carried out on the original building as a much older property?

Indeed, the older part of the building is closely guarded by Blackpool Council and any works must be undertaken with the consent of their conservation team. It will be very challenging, but again, it is a challenge we relish and are fully prepared for. These are the types of collaborative projects that we really enjoy being involved in.

There are many civic events which take place in the older part of the town hall throughout days and evenings so we will have to carefully consider how we navigate around these events to avoid any disruption or inconvenience.

Was there a current system in the building or is this a complete new install?

This was a complete new installation. It was great to see a huge improvement in the way the building manager communicated with the site as a whole and it was clear to see that the whole facility was operating in a safer, more efficient and controlled way.

As it is a listed building what challenges does this present and how does it influence the products you choose?

It presents many challenges with issues from simply agreeing to cable routes, equipment locations and loudspeaker types. The chosen equipment must be super reliable and appropriate for the high-quality nature of an important civic building.

We trust TOA implicitly for projects of this type due to their renowned reliability and appropriate level of functionality.

How did the installation work – for example did you have to work round employees, work out of hours and meet certain deadlines?

We chose to undertake the whole project working out of office hours. Whilst there were frequently several council personnel working late into the evening across the building, we felt this approach was necessary to minimise disruption and to also maximise the efficiency of our installation and commissioning teams.

Some areas were quite tricky to complete but the large open offices were tackled in a speedy fashion. This was helped significantly by the ease and simplicity of working with the TOA loudspeaker range.

How do you manage the on-going maintenance of the system?

Following completion and commissioning the system has been passed over to our specialist maintenance department. We maintain the system in a similar way to how we approach voice alarm system maintenance, and all of this continues to be undertaken out of normal office hours. As we service and maintain many facilities in the town, we are very proud of our long relationship with Blackpool Council and work hard to maintain this partnership in to the future.

“It is always nice to hear from our clients about the, often, quite complex buildings they design systems for and the challenges they face. Our clients like to hear about the different applications that our products are suitable for directly from the installers and we are grateful that companies, such as Livewire Systems, take the time to work with us on these insights.”

Ian Bridgewater

Director – Technical Sales Manager

TOA Corporation (UK) Ltd

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