Case Study: Selfridges, The Bullring – CCTV Upgrade & Control Room Installation

Location: Birmingham, UK
Client: National Fire & Security Provider (Confidential)
Contract Value (Firesand): £76,000
Scope: Skilled labour-only contract for CCTV system decommissioning, installation, and control room upgrade

Scope of the Contract

Firesand was appointed by a major national fire and security company to support the CCTV upgrade project at Selfridges, The Bullring, one of the UK’s most iconic retail locations. Acting as the skilled installation partner, Firesand was responsible for:

• Decommissioning and removal of the existing CCTV system

• Installation of a new Axis IP-based CCTV system

• Setup and commissioning of a new Genetec back-end and upgraded control room

• Liaison with the client’s third-party data cabling contractor

• Out-of-hours project delivery in a live, high-risk retail environment

Overview

Due to not having their own in-house installation workforce, the client sought a trusted and proven subcontractor with a reputation for technical precision, flexibility, and strong health and safety governance. After a thorough evaluation, Firesand was selected to carry out the full CCTV deinstallation and reinstallation package at Selfridges’ flagship Birmingham store.

The project required careful coordination and high levels of communication across multiple contractors, including structured cabling engineers, the end client, and external delivery teams. The goal: upgrade the surveillance infrastructure while ensuring uninterrupted coverage of high-value retail space.

Delivery

Firesand delivered the installation over a series of carefully planned night shifts, eliminating public-facing disruption and significantly reducing on-site risk. We worked under strict health and safety guidelines—leading by example in documentation, access control, and work area management within a complex, operational retail environment.

Key aspects of delivery included:

Installation of Axis IP cameras throughout public and staff-only areas

Integration with the new Genetec VMS platform in the control room

Coordination with the third-party cabling provider for final positioning and system testing

Temporary continuation of the legacy CCTV system to ensure zero loss of surveillance coverage

Final decommissioning and removal of old cameras and redundant cabling once the new system went live

Firesand arranged all stock delivery schedules and managed secure on-site storage to support smooth project logistics. We also provided trained operatives to operate scissor lifts safely for elevated installation zones.

Project Challenges & Solutions

As a live retail environment with continuous public presence and high-value stock, working out-of-hours was essential to mitigate operational risk and improve installation efficiency. Firesand took full ownership of this operational planning, coordinating seamlessly with security, operations, and IT stakeholders.

Health and safety was a central challenge due to the presence of multiple subcontractors. Firesand provided its own full H&S documentation and led project compliance—ensuring that safety was never compromised due to delays or miscommunication from third parties.

During the installation phase, delays arose due to issues with the external data cabling contractor, including staffing changes and inconsistently marked cabling. Firesand adapted quickly, cross-checking cabling runs, identifying errors early, and re-sequencing tasks to prevent further delay. Despite these issues, Firesand’s scope of work was completed on time.

Resources

A senior Firesand project lead was assigned for the duration of the works, supported by a two teams of specialist CCTV engineers across multiple night shifts. All operatives were IPAF-certified and trained for safe working at height using scissor lifts.

Benefits

Expert-led delivery of a high-profile CCTV upgrade in a complex live environment

Seamless coordination with third-party contractors and stakeholders

Zero disruption to day-to-day retail operations

Maintained full CCTV coverage during transition from legacy to new system

Delivered core installation and commissioning on time, despite external delays

Upgraded control room and Genetec VMS platform for future-ready monitoring