Access Control Installation at Royal Star & Garter Surbiton
When an ageing access control system needs replacing, the challenge isn’t simply choosing newer equipment. The new system needs to work around the building, the people using it and the day-to-day operation of the site.
That was particularly important during our recent access control installation at Royal Star & Garter in Surbiton.
With existing access control equipment located across three floors of a live care home, this wasn’t a project where the site could simply stop operating while the upgrade took place. Residents, staff and visitors would continue moving throughout the building, meaning careful planning and a phased approach were essential.
We began with a detailed site survey before developing and delivering a modern Paxton access control solution tailored to the requirements of each individual location.
Who Are Royal Star & Garter?
Royal Star & Garter provides care from its home in Surbiton.
As a live care environment, the building has different requirements from a standard commercial premises. Residents, staff and visitors need to be able to move around the site safely, while access to different areas still needs to be appropriately controlled.
With access-controlled locations spread across three floors, any upgrade therefore needed to consider not only security and reliability, but also how the work itself would affect the people using the building.
Why Did the Existing Access Control System Need Replacing?
The site was operating with an ageing access control system that needed to be modernised.
Rather than approaching the project as a straightforward like-for-like replacement, we first needed to understand the existing infrastructure and how access was managed throughout the building.
Different locations across the site had different requirements, so determining the appropriate equipment for each area was an important part of the project.
Our challenge was therefore to deliver a complete access control system installation while keeping disruption and downtime across the site as low as possible.
What Were Our Goals for the Access Control Installation?
Our primary goal was to replace the ageing equipment with a modern, reliable and user-friendly access control solution. However, achieving that involved much more than supplying new hardware.
We needed to establish exactly what was required at each location, select the appropriate equipment and plan how the existing system could be changed over without unnecessarily disrupting the operation of the care home.
It was also essential that our engineers worked professionally and sympathetically around residents, staff and visitors throughout the installation.
The finished system needed to meet the site’s operational requirements, but the process of getting there mattered just as much.
Project Breakdown
Before any installation work began, our team attended Royal Star & Garter to carry out a detailed survey of the existing door access control infrastructure.
This allowed us to assess the current setup and develop a clear plan for the hardware and installation work required across the three floors.
Rather than assuming the same solution would be appropriate everywhere, we worked closely with the client to establish the requirements of each individual location.
From there, we developed a site-specific plan incorporating a range of Paxton equipment.
The project included multiple PaxLock Pro electronic door handles, Paxton Net2Air Bridges, Paxton P50 proximity readers, ACU door controllers and associated door furniture where required.
Using different components allowed the solution to be tailored around the requirements identified during our initial survey rather than applying a one-size-fits-all approach across the building.
Working Around a Live Care Home
One of the most important aspects of this project was the environment in which the work took place. Royal Star & Garter remained operational while the upgrade was completed, with residents, staff and visitors continuing to use the building.
We therefore deployed multiple engineering teams and coordinated the installation on a location-by-location basis. At each stage, existing access control equipment could be removed before the new hardware was installed, configured and brought into operation.
This phased approach helped us minimise the amount of time individual locations were without their normal access control and avoided unnecessarily disrupting other areas of the building.
Our engineers also had to remain conscious that they weren’t working on an empty construction site or closed commercial premises.
Professionalism, safety and consideration for the people around us were essential throughout the project, with the needs of the home’s residents remaining a priority while the work was completed.
For us, that’s an important part of delivering commercial access control systems. The technical solution has to be right, but so does the way it is installed.
A Complete Paxton Access Control Solution
By managing the initial survey, planning, hardware supply and installation, we were able to take a coordinated approach to the entire upgrade.
The resulting system incorporated:
- Multiple Paxton PaxLock Pro electronic door handles
- Paxton Net2 Air Bridges
- Paxton P50 proximity readers
- ACU door controllers
- Associated door furniture where required
Each element was selected according to the requirements identified for its particular location.
This meant Royal Star & Garter wasn’t simply receiving replacement hardware. The site was receiving a complete, modernised access control solution planned around how the building actually operates.
The Results
Following the completion of the project, Royal Star & Garter had a fully operational, modern Paxton access control solution replacing the ageing system previously used across the site.
By surveying the existing infrastructure before work began, we could properly plan the upgrade and identify the appropriate hardware for different areas of the building.
Our location-by-location installation strategy helped minimise access control downtime, while deploying multiple engineering teams allowed us to manage work efficiently across the three floors.
Most importantly, the upgrade was delivered while respecting the fact that Royal Star & Garter remained a live care environment throughout.
The result is a modern access control system tailored to the site’s operational requirements and delivered with careful consideration for the residents, staff and visitors who rely on the building every day.
Looking for Access Control Installers?
Every building presents different access control challenges.
Whether you’re replacing an ageing system, upgrading individual access points or planning a larger site-wide project, our approach starts by understanding how your building operates before recommending the right solution.
As experienced access control installers, we can support projects from the initial site survey and planning through to hardware supply, installation and commissioning.
If your existing access control system is reaching the end of its life, get in touch with UK Turnstiles to discuss your requirements.