Chubb installs hybrid fire solution in historic Scottish hotel

Chubb recently installed a hybrid fire solution, comprised of a combination of hardwire and wireless fire systems, in Glenapp Castle, a 21-bedroom, luxury five-star hotel in Ayrshire, Scotland. The solution meets the Historic Scotland preservation agency’s stringent requirements.

The owners sought to convert the castle’s entire top floor into a luxury apartment, but due to the historic nature of the building, it required a robust fire system in place. Normally if a void in a loft space is under a certain size, it does not need to be covered, but Historic Scotland requires that all voids are completely covered, so close attention to detail was required.

Chubb’s initial site visit involved a thorough eight-hour examination, exploring every nook and cranny of the loft space, which revealed many voids, including the eaves spaces and the turrets at the top of the tower. The project required Chubb to devise a hybrid fire solution – one that would protect both the existing building and the renovation project. Chubb’s proposed solution comprised of a combination of hardwire and wireless fire systems; cabling for the renovation of the top floor; and wireless modules such as smoke detectors and sounders, to the existing cabling in the finished building.

During the project, the scope of the renovation changed considerably, which required Chubb to be flexible in adjusting the original fire solution specified. Working closely alongside other contractors, Chubb also worked to interface the fire solution with various other systems including the BMS system, sprinkler system, dynamic emergency lighting system and pressurisation system to keep the fire exit stairways clear. One unusual challenge Chubb encountered was the discovery of bats in the loft space, which required the team to seek a bat licence and involve the Bat Conservation Trust.

When the renovation started in January 2020, the proprietor intended to have the luxury apartment open for late summer, but the Covid-19 pandemic delayed work until spring 2021. Glenapp Castle reopened in May 2021 showcasing its new 4,500sq. ft luxury penthouse apartment – The Endeavour – which was recently recognised in The Week’s ‘World’s Top 10 best Luxury Hotel Penthouses.’

Since completing the project, Chubb has enhanced the existing fire maintenance contract in place to cover the full scope of works completed and with the addition of remote monitoring. Due to the castle’s remote location, the owners wanted to ensure that the fire systems would be monitored by Chubb’s alarm receiving centre 24/7.

‘This has been a challenging project for all our contractors, in respect of Historic Scotland’s requirements and the unforeseeable delays caused by Covid-19. The team at Chubb has been extremely thorough and attentive throughout, both in recognising the level of fire protection required and delivering a bespoke solution to very high standards,’ said Paul Szkiler of Truestone, the owners of Glenapp Castle.

For more information, visit chubbfiresecurity.com/en/worldwide