Matthew Scott-Lyon, a well-known restaurateur and owner of the Big Bad Wolf pizza bar, an upscale eatery in the newly renovated Cedar Square shopping centre in Northern Johannesburg, wanted to provide a safe, aesthetically pleasing culinary delight for his customers in this latest establishment.
With the alarming increase in mall and retail store robberies, he felt that a proactive approach to security could only enhance his customers’ experience. He contacted KHN Business Solutions and asked for a surveillance system that would provide good video coverage and clarity at all times, could record audio as well as video feed at the main bar in case of questionable behaviour and could access from his mobile so he could view footage easily when he was not at the restaurant for flexibility and peace of mind. In addition, he wanted the surveillance system to be unobtrusive and aesthetically pleasing to match the upmarket décor of Big Bad Wolf.
The AXIS solution
Yuro Carnino, owner of KHN Business Solutions and long-time AXIS partner with over 10 years of experience, used his knowledge and expertise to select a blend of AXIS cameras that best suited the restaurateur’s specific needs. In his design, he used a strategically placed AXIS M1065-L camera with built in microphone and integrated audio, in the main bar service area backed up by an AXIS M3047-P (fisheye) camera in the main bar dining area for maximum wall to wall coverage.
In the low lighting of the kitchen, he used the AXIS M3105-L camera with built in IR illumination to capture crisp clear images even in places entirely devoid of light. He chose the AXIS M2026-LE camera with its high-resolution images to monitor the main seating area of the restaurant, and subsequentially also the visible portion of the external parking.
A single camera can be used to cover a wide 130° horizontal field of view, which to helps to keep costs low while still delivering quality results. WDR – Dynamic Capture was to ensure optimised footage of backlit scenes. A total of only six AXIS cameras were required for the installation, all carefully selected, strategically placed and integrated to provide a comprehensive customized solution.
The AXIS Camera Companion video management software was ideal for any small business needing to monitor their premises, people and assets. The Axis Secure Remote Access technology will allow Scott-Lyon easily access live or recorded video from any location at any time, including directly from a mobile device or PC without the need for specialised network or router configuration.
Individually configurable video streams in H.264 efficiently sustain the image quality and frame rate for effective streaming from afar. The whole system design and installation went smoothly and, as Carnino states, ‘there’s no other product that compares with the quality and ease of installation that is synonymous with the AXIS brand for this type of small to medium installations’.
He implemented a scalable open-ended solution that will grow and adapt to changing business needs.
The result
The Big Bad Wolf has been serving diners with authentic Italian pizza and top premium gins over the past few months without a single client security incident or maintenance call out.
Scott-Lyon said: “We are so impressed with the AXIS solution, and the benefits it brings, even beyond safety and security. The cameras are aesthetically pleasing and are the perfect fit to my restaurant’s interior design. Going forward, the KHN and AXIS partnership will be the obvious choice for all my future establishments.”
With a constant flow of diners enjoying a romantic evening with a loved one or even a few drinks with friends at the spacious bar, the restaurant bustles constantly.
The high-quality camera system provides good coverage of the entire establishment, has high resolution video and audio footage, and is fully mobile.
There have been other benefits that Scott-Lyon had not anticipated. The cameras provide a strong deterrent to stop staff theft. And with a full view of the restaurant at any time, Scott-Lyon can see when and where to mobilise staff to provide an exceptional dining experience for his guests and a great place to work for his employees. His guests and staff are kept safe, his investments and assets are well looked after, and he can rest easier knowing his camera surveillance system needs are met.
