Covent Garden Market sits right in the heart of London and is visited by over 35 million people each year. It houses restaurants, pubs, shops, opera, theatre and street performers, making it the entertainment centre of London. The main security threats are terrorist activity, theft and petty crime.
"We have designed a security solution that provides high resolution surveillance and recording without compromising the security or the aesthetics of the building and shopping environment" comments Martin Parry, Director at G1 Ltd.
The design of the security system has undergone a stringent approval process with Westminster City Council and English Heritage regarding the siting of security cameras and equipment ensuring that the building's appearance is maintained for the future as well as making Covent Market a safer place for shoppers, staff and visitors.
The equipment within the system was chosed for its quality and reliability. 22 Pelco Camclosure static and Pelco Spectra III cameras are installed.
Each camera will be painted with heritage colours to fit in with the aesthetics of the surroundings. Security images are controlled using a workstation Pelco keyboard, model KBD300-A and a Pelco CM6800E 48 camera input x 8 monitor output expandable matrix for the configuration of security images on a screen.
The images are viewed using 4 JVC's 17-inch high resolution LM-17G LCD monitors and are digitally recorded in a central control room in the market offices. The whole system works alongside manned guarding.
In describing the security system, Marcus March, Operations Manager at Covent Garden Market comments, "G1 were involved in a long planning process, they knew specifically what our needs were and were able to work with us and the Westminster City Council and English Heritage. In the design of the security system, we required full coverage of the market and its exits and entrances. The system also needed to make the security guards proactive on the floor and in the control room to work alongside a two-way radio control link. Having invested in digital recording, we are now able to help police with the provision of good quality and high resolution CCTV images."