Bull Products protects iconic Manchester Town Hall during extensive refurbishment project

Built back in 1877, the neo gothic Town Hall sits in the very heart of Manchester city centre. A much loved and significant landmark, the building has been used for many purposes over the years including council business and events. The refurbishment project is all about ensuring that this heritage building is fit for purpose in the 21^st Century.

Current work on the extensive building includes replacing the heating, electrics, plumbing and ventilation access. To facilitate this work, a huge amount of scaffolding has been constructed around the structure’s large surface area.

Due to its city centre location, scaffolding potentially renders the Town Hall an easy target for intruders. On that basis, contractor WysePower required an alarm system that would provide peace of mind and protection during the entirety of the programme of works (and notably so during ‘out of hours’ periods).

The Cygnus system incorporates Scaff Alarm – an intruder detection system designed to deter attempted break-ins or access to higher levels of scaffolding. It connects up to 31 passive infrared detection devices each with a 110-decibel sounder and beacon alarm. These are linked on a fully wireless mesh that communicates with a control panel. An auto dialler alerts the site’s security officers to any intruders overnight, while during the day it provides protection, raising the alarm and alerting site workers to any fires inside the building.

24-hour protection

A total of 131 Cygnus systems have so far been installed across the site. An additional 76 are due to be installed and commissioned in the Town Hall’s temporary roof covering while repair works are carried out on the original roof, thereby providing a complete external fire and intruder alarm system on site.

Matthew Trigwell, sales director at Bull Products, commented: “We’re delighted to be working alongside WysePower on this high-profile restoration project. Manchester Town Hall is an iconic listed building and the Cygnus wireless alarm system ensures that WysePower’s team enjoys 24-hour protection from intruders across the site. It’s an ideal solution for large-scale projects like this one, guaranteeing protection for people and property.”

Colin Doyle, electrical supervisor at WysePower, responded: “We’ve worked with Bull Products across a number of significant projects and we were confident that the company would be perfect partner here. The clever wireless technology means that the alarm can travel easily across the building’s scaffolding, while any fire alarms can also be raised internally. Installation has been quick and easy, providing us with peace of mind that we have a truly reliable solution protecting a vital heritage site.”

*Further information is available online at www.bullproducts.co.uk