As part of a £10 million investment programme, Manchester's Arndale Shopping Centre has been fitted with an integrated security system featuring digital CCTV. Brian Sims reviews how an installer can be instrumental in delivering the right kind of system – in this case for the largest 'in town' shopping centre in the UK.
Today's discening end users of security systems is always looking for the Holy Grail – an installer with well-trained sales and engineering staff that can offer a high level of service and consistently provide excellent customer care and support throughout a given project's lifetime.

As one of the industry's leading manufacturers, Panasonic is also on the look-out for installation companies with which it can work in harmony.

With this in mind, the CCTV specialist has set up its Premier Installer Scheme, accrediting only those systems contractors who can meet several demanding criteria: engineers must attend at least three training courses per year, the installer must demonstrate the highest standards of technical service and support (including repairs at component level) and carry ample demonstration stock for on-site presentations to the purchaser.

To highlight the benefits of such a scheme to the end user, SMT has teamed up with Panasonic in offering a series of end user case studies.

What do you need to look for in your chosen installer? How should you work with them? How might you extract the maximum benefit from that working relationship? We'll attempt to answer these and further questions for you in this ongoing series.

Manchester Arndale is in the Premier League of shopping centres, attracting an average of 500,000 people every week to its huge selection of retail outlets – from the leading high street names such as Boots, Littlewoods, Argos, Dixons and BhS through to smaller, specialist shops.

The site owner – insurer Prudential – is currently undertaking a multi-million pound investment programme at the Centre. This includes the completed £10 million refurbishment of the southern part of the Centre, which has seen the creation of a stunning roof light in Halle Square along with a contemporary face-lift to Market Street.

Demolition is now completed on the northern section, with work beginning on a £150 million redevelopment. Once finished, this extension will spawn 75 new retail outlets including a four-storey Next department store. The first phase of completion is scheduled for October 2005.

In parallel with the Arndale's re-development, an upgrade of its CCTV system has been devised to establish an integrated security and site management monitoring regime. Replacing an earlier system, the newly-completed first phase of the surveillance installation is the result of a meticulous review of the Centre's own needs, and determined by information and observations gained while visiting systems operated at other large shopping centres around the UK.

The degree of pre-installation fact-finding and in-depth consultation with other operators is only part of the story, though. "We wanted to make sure we had covered all the bases with this new system," explains Glen Barkworth, Manchester Arndale's general manager. "To do this, we posed a number of key infrastructure and operational questions. These were initially asked of our consultant Roberts and Partners in order to draw conclusions on the specifications that would best suit our operational needs."

Barkworth continues: "A number of the sites we had looked at employed fibre optic cabling as the video transmission medium, while others used structured cabling networks to deliver their camera images. Taking into account the fact that we already had a perfectly well-engineered coaxial cable-based installation, and wanting to maintain a reliable and robust infrastructure, we decided to stick to a closed system."

This also yielded the benefit of reduced costs by not having to install a new network of cables, and meant that secure images would be transmitted in high quality real-time.

In line with Barkworth's vision to ensure the system would meet the Centre's operational needs, independent consultant Be Prepared of Bath was invited to provide a critique of the new draft proposal. Briefed to supply an analysis that would confirm the optimum system specification, the final design was also shaped using further input from the local police under its 'Secured by Design' initiative.

The tendering procedure
In accordance with the Manchester Arndale project team's well-defined procurement process, the contract to supply the new system was put out to tender to five installation companies. After a review of their bids, the supplier of on-going maintenance and the original installer of the previous surveillance system – Zoom CCTV of Warrington – was awarded the contract.

Addressing the key objective to 'secure surveillance coverage of all areas accessible by customers, staff or contractors', the final system blueprint was chosen for its ability to provide detailed colour images to help with effective security, Health and Safety and Centre management. This wide level of coverage also meant that the Arndale's Security Team would be able to increase its provision for effective duty of care throughout the site.

Zoom's winning proposal had drawn on Manchester Arndale's favourable experience of operating the existing Panasonic-based CCTV system. Zoom submitted a plan that would meet the Centre's operational requirements by using the very latest equipment from the same manufacturer.

  "In support of its camera video matrix, Panasonic offered us a guaranteed four-hour response to supply 'hot-swappable' components in the event of a system malfunction. Quite literally the best support we could find," states Barkworth.

When installing Phase One of the new surveillance system, Zoom's first task was to re-locate the existing Control Room to a new Communications Centre 200 metres away.

The new operational nerve centre was to be the first UK site to be fitted with Panasonic's latest Graphical User Interface touch-screen control system. Designed to provide system operators with a fast and intuitive route to all system functions, the scheme was made all the more effective due to the high degree of electronic systems integration.

An integrated approach to security
Linked to the Centre's access control and fire systems, all sub-systems are controlled from an operational environment designed to maximise the potential of the system. Using a camera switching matrix and desktop controllers, operators can readily select any of the site's 87 colour cameras for monitoring.

In the event of a major incident that may require support from other members of the Security Team, key camera images can be switched for display onto a centrally-mounted 37" flat screen plasma monitor.

The 30 Terra Byte hard disk-based digital recording system has been specified to provide fast access to high-quality video recordings of the Centre's malls and 1,000-seater Food Court. Each camera is programmed to meet the security risk assessment needs of an individual area of surveillance coverage, with all images stored for a 30-day period.

Due to the nature of the Centre's 24-hour operation, staff and contractors will often be required to work out-of-hours. Providing protection for them – particularly in the 'back of house' areas – coupled with the desire to obtain a consistent level of image clarity and detail even in low-light conditions led Zoom to specify 'Super D' colour cameras. With a specification of 570 TV lines resolution, the cameras provide the best quality of images available in the prevailing lighting conditions, ensuring that all activity is kept securely in view.

Linked to the access control system, any door activation to – or from – the 'back of house' areas triggers an alarm which initiates recording. By recording only on activation of an alarm, this 'intelligent' use of surveillance helps to conserve valuable digital storage capacity.

Operating from any one of the four workstations, and under the supervision of the Communications Centre's controllers, security staff – known as 'task co-ordinators' – run regular random video patrols around the various mall zones.

Due to the fact that 90% of all incidents occurring in the Manchester Arndale are initially radioed-in to the Communications Centre, its key 'task' (hence the name given to its officers) is really to act as a dedicated incident Control Room.

Using the available mix of CCTV surveillance tracking, audio communications and staff on the ground, a full picture of any unfolding incident is available and the level of corresponding action required can be quickly and effectively assessed.

Manned security back-up
Kevin Elloway of contract security company Reliance Security (and head of security at the Arndale) comments: "Reflecting the Arndale's modern approach to attitudes and responsibilities of its officers, we provide a full compliment of well-trained security personnel. Members of staff are deployed at the Communications Centre, inside the malls and at the central information desk."

Supporting the use of electronic security, Reliance officers in the malls carry out pre-emptive shop patrols which help to establish a rapport with the various retailers' members of staff, and also act as a deterrent to would-be criminals. Splitting the Centre's malls into five zones, irregular tours of shops in each zone are carried out during every morning, lunchtime and afternoon 'tour of duty'.

Further integrated security protection is gained from the Centre playing a key role in the city's 'StoreNet' scheme. With over 260 retailers enrolled, the network of radio-linked retail security staff use Manchester Arndale's Communications Centre to disseminate information on current suspected (or actual) criminal activity.

This pro-active measure played a key role in 2002, when Manchester became the first city in the UK to win the Government's 'Safer Shopping Award'.

Zoom also provided a wealth of on-site and technical support (including the fit-out of a separate and secure video review room where the Arndale's task co-ordinators are able to use a system controller to select and log evidential video footage).

Meeting with the requirement of the local police force, digital video footage can be downloaded – via an analogue video time-lapse machine – on to more traditional recording media such as VHS tape.

At all times, this highly secure operation is carried out in order to comply with Data Protection Act 1998 legislation under strict guidelines laid down in the Prudential's own bespoke procedures.

Manchester Arndale: the installer’s equipment list

CCTV cameras and lenses
  • WV-CP474 ‘Super D’ cameras
  • WV-LZA61/2E lens
  • WV-CS320 Mini-Domes
  • WV-CW474 vandal-proof fixed domes
Monitors
  • TH37PW5BY 37” plasma screen
System controllers
  • WJ-SX850 video matrix (expandable)
  • WV-CU850CJ system controller
  • WJ-ASC8501 administration software
  • WJ-MS424 quad unit
  • WJ-PB85X08 eight-channel multiplexer video board
  • AG-MX70 video mixer
Recording systems
  • WJ-HD500 hard disc digital recorder
  • IS-HD160 160 Gb disk drive
  • AG-TL350 time-lapse video recorder
Support software
  • WINICS Enterprise Graphical User Interface (GUI)