Gastropub The Three Fishes at Mitton is known for its excellent farm to table cookery, a warm and welcoming environment and a multi-award-winning chef, Nigel Haworth. Nigel joined Northcote in the Ribble Valley in 1984, and ten years later won an Egon Ronay Chef of the Year Award and the following year earned a Michelin star.
A TV regular on shows such as Saturday Kitchen and the Great British Menu, Nigel returned to the pub he first launched in 2004 last year, bringing a focus on seasonality, home grown ingredients including vegetables, herbs and crops, and a commitment to zero-waste.
With the hospitality side of the business prospering, Nigel turned his attention to the the alarm system at the pub which was creating a number of challenges for the team. The system was false alarming and wasn’t fit for purpose.
Black Box were approached by IT company, Networking Group, who were working at The Three Fishes on an infrastructure project, to upgrade the existing security system.
Having worked on a number of previous successful projects with Networking Group and with a track record in leisure and hospitality venues, the relationship was a recipe for success.
Black Box conducted an audit and worked with the electricians who were on site, to design a new system to meet the specifications and integrate seamlessly with the new electrics.
The scheme needed to be flexible and adaptable, cover the different areas of the venue. The security system was extended to cover the upstairs areas and provide multi-zoned protection, with additional security for high value areas including the wine cellar and pub interior.
The first stage of the installation process was to upgrade and expand the cabling in and around the venue. Black Box recommended the Texecom alarm system which offered a flexible and high-quality system for peace of mind, but also delivered local digital control, giving the team at Three Fishes the ability to manage the system via an app.
In addition, Black Box designed a CCTV system to give to give coverage of both the external perimeter and the internal site. The HIKvision system in excess of 16 cameras giving maximum coverage across the venue and surrounding areas.
The cabling was fitted by the electricians working on site and the team at Black Box worked alongside them to install the rest of the system with minimum disruption to the business. The CCTV is also digitally controlled giving the client full access and visibility across the site 24/7.
The new CCTV system has several advantages, including the use of colour mono cameras which allows for better performance in low lighting. This, combined with infrared led lighting which is invisible to the human eye but is picked up via CCTV cameras, delivers superior performance. Infrared was an ideal solution for the Three Fishes with its rural village location, as it avoids light pollution in a residential neighbourhood.
Infa-red illumination also works well over long distances, allowing the cameras to capture clear black and white images and optimising camera performance.
With energy costs increasing the new system uses green technology, offering a low wattage power solution helping to save energy and reduce bills.
In addition, the selection of Power over Ethernet (PoE) cables allows the supply of power to the network via the existing data connection reducing the installation and running costs for additional cabling.
Utilising green technology will help to reduce energy consumption and costs, reflecting the pub’s commitment to sustainability, reducing waste and reduction on its impact on the environment.
Nigel Haworth, chef patron and owner at The Three Fishes explained: “We are delighted to be back at the site to be able to deliver our brand of high-quality cuisine with locally sourced or grown products.
“The business was being let down by our security system which was disturbing our guests and taking staff away from their focus on service excellence.
“I decided to invest back in the site and wanted a system that was cost effective but also delivered myself and the team complete peace of mind.
“The newly installed system is safe, works well and is easy for the staff to be trained on and use. The use of digital technology gives us greater visibility and control of the system via the app so we can monitor changes to activity both on and off site, 24/7.
“At the Three Fishes we build long-term relationships with our suppliers and as our security advisors, we’re pleased Black Box are also providing monitoring and maintenance for the fire alarm system which means any issues will be resolved quickly and efficiently.”
