In 2015, Crown Ground was named the WHAM Stadium after a sponsorship deal was reached with Andy Holt, a local businessman and owner of manufacturing company What More UK Ltd. Following the sponsorship deal, plans were launched to replace the old timber-framed 90-100 capacity bar with a modern and smart £2.5m hospitality and conference suite, which could be hired out to provide an additional revenue stream for the club. Work on the suite began in 2021 and the project was completed in Q4 of 2022.
DREAM TEAM FORMATION
The build was managed by Readstone Construction who subcontracted GB Integrated Systems, a Control4 Certified Showroom Partner, to supply a turnkey solution for the new facilities. Control4 is an automation platform for homes and business, which allows users to control multiple technologies within a space from one, personalised user interface.
The remit was for the design, supply, installation and commission of the fire, security, lighting control, commercial AV and automation systems. GBIS met with the ASFC board of directors and Readstone Construction to present its proposal, and soon after the deal was sealed.
Simon Whittam, Co-owner & Director of Readstone Construction comments “One of the main briefs was that everything - air-conditioning, lighting, AV - had to be controlled from one panel. GBIS took this brief and designed a fully integrated Control4 system that not only met the brief but exceeded the customers’ expectations".
The GBIS team were closely involved with the interior design and building teams from the early stages of the project. This site-wide collaboration of suppliers from the start of the build helped to minimise any unexpected challenges.
The suite is largely open-plan and has been divided into a variety of cleverly zoned areas: Coleys bar, The 1968 Lounge, The Chairmans Lounge and The Snug/Buffet Lounge. Space Invaders, the interior designer, created an industrial aesthetic throughout and used a mix of varying finishes and colours, to individualise the different zones.
Lighting was an integral element of ‘zoning’ each area. Mood-matching lighting scenes provide a different atmosphere in each zone, from fine dining in the 1968 Lounge to match days in Coleys Bar. The zones can also be synchronised to unite the entire space into one lighting zone – depending on the requirement of the client. The pre-sets are programmed into the Control4 solution and can be instantly selected at the touch of button, making it simple and quick to manage.
As well as lighting, Control4 also provides control for heating and cooling, external/internal CCTV, intruder alarm system, audio system, projection screen and commercial large TV screens from one user interface. The venue team can manage all of these technologies, set-up event scenes and monitor functionality from a Control4 touch screen. In addition, the team can also use the Control4 mobile App on a smart phone, providing on-the-go flexibility on busy match days!
IT’S A GOAL
Chairman Andy Holt said “It’s been two years in the making and we are proud of this venue. This is for the community of Accrington to use, it’s for the club to be able to support itself financially and it’s another step forward for Accrington Stanley. I don’t think that there is a venue like this at any other football club.”
With a perfect mix of hospitality options, interior design, AV and automation all in a safe and compliant environment – ASFC hospitality suite has something for everyone. Who are they? The team with a finger on the pulse of smart technology.
