William Hill Cheltenham

William Hill is a well-known British gambling company, which was founded in 1934 and is one of the world’s leading betting and gaming companies, employing over 12,500 people, with 8,000 of them based in the UK. Its product offering includes sports betting, online casino, online poker, and online bingo. The business operations are led from its headquarters in London, and the company operates 1,414 betting shops. The company was previously listed on the London Stock Exchange until it was acquired by Caesars Entertainment in April 2021, and William Hill was subsequently acquired by 888 Holdings for £2.2 billion in July 2022.

The company has recently enhanced the lighting system at their betting shop, located in Cheltenham to improve the ambiance, alongside gaining additional energy efficiency. The lighting was to create a comfortable, visually appealing environment for both customers and staff through the installation of advanced lighting solutions from Ansell Lighting.

The range of products selected for this project, included the Vasco CCT Bi-Directional Suspended Linear Luminaire, the Comfort EVO Downlight, the Prism Pro CCT Fire-Rated Multi Wattage Downlight, and the Primo GU10 Single Circuit Mains Track system.

The bi-directional suspended or surface linear Vasco lights, which are of an extruded aluminium construction, with an integral driver and opal diffuser offering optimal lighting uniformity, thereby creating an aesthetically pleasing light distribution, and allowing for a suspended installation using the pre-wired 1.5 metre cable and supplied suspension kit with adjustable suspension points, providing 70% downward and 30% upward light. A surface installation can be undertaken using the downward light component only. The fitting is supplied with selectable Correlated Colour Temperature, offering 3000K, 4000K or 6500K outputs, in both high output and low output variants. Various accessories provide multiple installation options for continuous and track mounting. The fitting is supplied as 1-10V dimming as standard, with smart control and both, emergency and self-test emergency options offered. With a beam angle of 130°, a Colour Rendering Index of 80 and a lifetime to L80 of 70,000 hours, this offered a superb solution for William Hill.

The Comfort EVO economic high performance CCT selectable, IP44 downlight is ideally suited for commercial, and for healthcare applications, in having an intelligent and eco-friendly 3-part design, which allows the specifier the option of either a black or white reflector and trim. Having a deep cut-off angle allows for optimum glare control, assisting in achieving a UGR<19 (Unified Glare Rating) compliant installation to maximise both visual comfort and visual performance. With a polycarbonate housing having unique thermal management for durability and optimum lifespan, alongside being CCT selectable between 3000K and 4000K, and power selectable offering 2 outputs within a single luminaire, as well as offering installation into existing hole cut-outs of 210mm, makes this downlight an ideal solution for both new and replacement installations. An anti-Ligature kit available for installation in secure environments is also offered, as are various digital dimming options and an emergency option utilising the Hawk Kit Emergency Pack. With a beam angle of 80°, a Colour Rendering Index of 80 and a lifetime to L80 of 60,000 hours, this fitting was also ideally suited for William Hill.

The Prism Pro CCT Fire-Rated Downlights (Multi Wattage) is both CCT selectable between 2700K, 3000K, 4000K and 6000K as well as power selectable, offering the selection of 2 outputs within one luminaire. Having a new innovative 2-part detachable connector design allows initial wiring and testing to be completed first, then simply plug the downlight back to the connector, ensuring a quick and simple installation. With a remote driver with 2×1.5mm² + CPC loop-in, loop-out colour coded push fit piano terminals provide an easy and efficient installation. The range is fully tested for 30-, 60- and 90-minute ceiling types to meet Part B of the Building Regulations, and also tested to meet Part C (moisture), Part E (acoustic) and Part L (Energy). With a wide 65° beam angle allowing for increased light distribution, a Colour Rendering Index of 80 and a lifetime to L70 of 60,000 hours, this fitting was selected for their superior fire-rated safety features as well as their flexibility of colour temperature and performance.

The Primo GU10 Single Circuit Mains GU10 fittings were used to illuminate and highlight specific areas within the William Hill shop. Their single circuit design and compatibility with a range of GU10 lamps made them a versatile choice for accent lighting. These fittings enhance the overall lighting scheme by providing a focused light where needed, such as on promotional displays and key operational areas.

The installation process at William Hill’s Cheltenham branch was meticulously planned and executed to ensure minimal disruption to daily operations. The process began with a comprehensive assessment of the lighting requirements, so as to create a cohesive lighting solution that worked for both for each of the individual areas, and for the installation as a whole. The fitting selection was based on achieving the optimum solution, by strategically providing uniform general lighting, in reducing glare and ensuring a pleasant environment for both customers and staff.

Overall, the installation was completed very efficiently, thanks to the installation features of the products selected, which resulted is a well-illuminated, welcoming environment which not only met the functional requirements of a busy betting shop, but also significantly improved the aesthetic appeal for customers, whilst maximising the energy efficiency of the space.

The lighting upgrade at the Cheltenham branch of William Hill has proven to provide an extremely successful solution, by demonstrating the effectiveness of advanced lighting solutions in enhancing commercial spaces, and the combination of Comfort EVO, Prism Pro, Vasco, and Primo GU10 products have provided a versatile, efficient, and visually aesthetic pleasing lighting system, ensuring an enhanced experience for both customers and the company’s’ employees.

For more information about the products used in this installation, you can visit the respective product pages, within the new S17 Ansell Catalogue.