CONNECTED LIGHT DELIVERS “EFFICIENCY AND PERFORMANCE” AT BRISTOL SPORTS STORE
CONNECTED LIGHT DELIVERS “EFFICIENCY AND PERFORMANCE” AT BRISTOL SPORTS STORE
The new Ashton Gate Stadium sports retail outlet has been equipped with the very latest LED lighting technology courtesy of Connected Light.
No one would deny that, in retail, quality of presentation can be absolutely integral to securing a sale. From the quality of the fittings and furnishings that surround items, to the overall look and feel of the store, no environmental factor should be overlooked or undervalued in the intensely competitive retail sector.
Sports outlets are certainly no exception, with many of the leading names taking great efforts to ensure that their class-leading brands are showcased to optimum effect. Of course, lighting can be an important asset in this regard, with the latest-generation LED systems in particular able to complement products with attractive colours and levels of illumination.
A new sports store located at Bristol’s Ashton Gate Stadium – which is the home venue of Bristol City F.C. and Bristol Rugby – can certainly attest to the impact of astutely-chosen lighting. Open six days a week and at certain times around match events, the Bristol Sport Store offers fans the opportunity to purchase a wide variety of shirts, souvenirs and other current sporting gear related to the aforementioned clubs, as well as Bristol City WFC, Bristol Flyers and Bristol Sport Racing.
Integral UK fulfilled an overall contractor role during the fit-out of the store, and engaged the services of Connected Light to supply specialist lighting products and services. As Integral UK project engineer Mike Zanetti explains, it was an association borne out of several previous positive experiences.
“I had worked with Connected Light on a number of earlier projects and they had always provided good services and products,” says Zanetti. “In addition, the client for this project required different lighting schemes for various areas which could not easily be catered for by one manufacturer. But with Connected Light it was possible to devise a scheme for each area that could be furnished with the appropriate products using their extensive supply chain.”
‘LONG-TERM EFFICIENCY’
Working to a demanding schedule before the new store’s opening date, Connected Light and Integral UK managed to provide a contemporary LED-based lighting solution for each department and area. A stipulation for “efficiency and performance” meant that LED was the only lighting type that was ever in the frame; but of course the benefits of implementing these latest-generation systems also include long-term reductions in maintenance and support costs.
“With a general life expectancy of 50,000 hours, LEDs offer tremendous value for money, so the store will have few of the replacement and maintenance expenses that are associated with fluorescents and other traditional types of light-source. It will be a major asset to the long-term cost-efficiency of this store,” says Connected Light director Matt Holway.
Working in close conjunction with Integral UK, Connected Light drew from its extensive contemporary range to ensure that the right fittings were provided to facilitate the lux levels required in different areas of the store. The end-result is a sports outlet built for performance in every aspect of its technological infrastructure.
The feedback from the store operators and personnel has been “extremely positive,” says Holway, with an overwhelming response that the outlet is “bright and appealingly lit, and that through the selection of different LEDs it has been possible to give different parts of the store contrasting emphases. Collectively it all works really well, and that is due to the products and services we have provided, as well as the great collaboration with Integral UK.”
