The Sands Centre is Cumbria and South West Scotland’s premier venue for sport and entertainment and is run by Carlisle Leisure Limited, a not for profit company. The Centre provides a diverse range of sports, recreation and health & fitness activities. Built in 1984, it deals with more than 735,000 customers per year.
When the centre needed a new access control security system to replace the existing one, Alan Quaile the Sands Centre Manager and Wayne Messenger, the Health & Fitness Manager, were given the task of finding one. After searching the internet they came across Tensor plc, partner of Toilet Turnstiles.
Wayne explained that because “…. we have a multisport centre that is multi-functional with a complex building layout of the building, we just needed better security, especially for the gym which is offset to one side”. He added, “We had a door to the gym controlled by a swipe card system. What we needed was to take away the door and put in another method of secured entry; a method that would let in only one customer at a time”.
Wayne said the reason why they chose Tensor was because their system would not only provide security but would also measure footfall through the system. He also said that “… it also came down to price and value for money – Tensor was the right product and it hit our budget”.
The turnstile system was installed by Tensor in the spring of 2011. This consisted of a single turnstile for entry and a ‘free rolling’ one for exit, with a disability gate for entrance and exit for the purposes of controlling access to the main entrance of the gym and a card system to measure customer footfall.
Tensor’s turnstiles are an ideal compromise between an efficient access control solution and aesthetic appeal and comfort for customers. A wide range of turnstiles are available from us, including glass ones and full height ones for maximum security.
No modifications were made to the turnstile, and Wayne was pleased to report that the Centre has never had to call our support Help Desk or Tensor Operations Department in order to repair the device.
Wayne praised the Tensor’s access control products, saying “…. it does what they said it would” adding, “It has certainly improved security at the Centre. It’s a great visual tool when you can’t physically put someone there to prevent entry. It also gives us our figures for entry to the premises”.
The durable Tensor turnstiles are perfect for The Sands Centre as they can deal with high volumes of traffic, providing maximum flow capacity while causing minimal disruption. All of our turnstiles, whether single or double, indoor or outdoor, are supplied complete with a two-year warranty.
Wayne revealed that Carlisle Leisure is looking at expansion plans which would involve extending the Tensor system. He said they are considering adding on to the building, but that in the meantime, with Tensor’s help, they are looking for more security at the main entrance.
Asked to sum up his experience of Tensor and the service they have provided, Wayne replied, “It’s all gone fine and we are happy with Tensor. It does exactly what it needs to do and we would use Tensor again”.
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Customer Information
The Sands Centre
Newark Terrace
Carlisle
Cumbria
CA1 1JQ
Tel: 01228 625625
Web: www.carlisleleisure.co.uk
Carlisle Leisure Limited is a not for profit company established in 2002 for the purpose of managing the leisure facilities for Carlisle City Council. From April 2004 the company expanded and entered into a second partnership with Allerdale Borough Council.
The Sands Centre provides a diverse range of sports, recreation and health & fitness activities as well as the LifeStyle Centre, a state of the art fitness facility. It plays host to international orchestras, theatre companies, opera and ballet, international recording artistes and comedians.
The centre can also host a wide range of conferences, meetings and exhibitions ranging from car shows, Ideal Home style exhibitions and national conferences to small meetings and seminars.