Stoke Newington Town Hall

Stoke Newington Town Hall – Fire Detection & Alarm System Upgrade

Stoke Newington Town Hall is a Grade II listed civic building located in the London Borough of Hackney. Owned and operated by Hackney Council, the building serves as a public venue and administrative facility, accommodating a mix of functions including public assembly spaces, offices, back-of-house areas, and specialist accommodation.

The Challenge

Hackney Council required a full fire detection and alarm system upgrade to meet BS 5839-1:2017 Category L1, while minimising disruption to the building’s fabric and day-to-day use.

Key challenges included:

• A large, multi-zone building with varied risk profiles and usage patterns
• The need to avoid intrusive cabling in heritage and public areas
• Poor wireless signal conditions in lower basement plant rooms
• Existing third-party systems requiring investigation and potential integration
• A neighbouring building requiring monitored linkage without triggering full evacuation

The solution needed to be compliant, resilient, and adaptable, while respecting the constraints of a historic public building.

The Technology

Alphatrack Systems designed a hybrid wireless and hard-wired fire alarm system to address the site's varied conditions.

The system uses six Advanced MXPro5 fire alarm control panels, networked on a fault-tolerant loop. These provide clear fire and fault identification across the site, with the main entrance panel fitted with 100 zonal LEDs to support responding fire services.

To reduce disruption:

• Wireless Sygno-Fi detection and alarm devices were deployed throughout the majority of the building.
• Existing device locations were reused where compliant.
• Hard-wired devices were confined to areas where radio performance was unsuitable, notably basement plant rooms

Detection coverage includes:

• Optical smoke detection as the primary method
• Heat detection in kitchens and areas prone to unwanted alarms
• Retention and integration of compliant existing beam detectors
• Replacement of the floor void aspirating system panel within the assembly hall

Alarm coverage was designed around the site’s evacuation strategy, with a combination of audible alarm devices throughout and visual alarm devices in publicly accessible areas and basement sleeping accommodation.

Integration & Connectivity

The design made allowances for third-party system interfaces, with further intrusive investigation planned post-award to finalise integration requirements.

A monitored link was provided to the Northgate Building, enabling staff at the main reception to receive alarm notifications without initiating evacuation of the Town Hall. A facility for remote reset between systems was also included.

Existing hard-wired links to the library were tested and retained for future use.

Remote Monitoring & Management

To enhance visibility and operational control, Alphatrack integrated Nimbus, a cloud-based remote monitoring platform.

Nimbus enables authorised users to view system status in real time, receive instant notifications of alarms or faults, place the system into test mode, and identify devices requiring attention.

The installation included hardware, configuration, user training, and the first 24 months of subscription.

The Outcome

Alphatrack Systems delivered a modern, compliant, and largely wireless fire detection and alarm solution that meets Category L1 requirements while respecting the building’s fabric and operational constraints.

The result is improved fire safety coverage across all areas and voids, reduced disruption through minimal cabling and like-for-like device replacement, clear zonal visibility for staff and emergency responders, future-ready monitoring through remote system management, and a flexible platform capable of adapting as building use evolves.

The project demonstrates Alphatrack’s ability to design and deliver complex fire systems in sensitive, multi-use public buildings, balancing compliance, practicality, and long-term operability.