Ashridge House, home to Hult Ashridge Executive Education, is a stunning Grade I listed estate set in 190 acres of landscaped gardens in Berkhamsted, Hertfordshire. Once a royal residence, the house now serves as a prestigious executive education and conference centre, welcoming business leaders and students from around the world.
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Its blend of historic architecture and modern facilities makes it an inspiring location for learning, corporate events, and hospitality, where reliable communication and safety systems are essential to daily operations. This prestigious venue has trusted 2CL to deliver a reliable, high performing two-way radio system for over a decade. ChallengeAshridge House faced a challenge common to historic estates: adapting 19th-century architecture to meet 21st-century safety standards. With a complex layout and significant distances between buildings, the estate’s reliance on a manual fire alarm check was a major operational vulnerability. Previously, an alarm activation triggered a race against the clock – not to fight the fire, but simply to find it. Staff had to physically return to the central fire panel to identify the active zone before they could deploy resources. This lack of integration created an information blind spot for the facilities team, hindering their ability to swiftly coordinate a response to alarms. |
AT A GLANCE Industry: Education
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“The difference in our response capabilities is night and day. Previously, an alarm meant a scramble for information; now, the radios tell us exactly where to go before we even take a step. 2CL understood that we couldn’t just buy ‘off-the-shelf’ and needed a system that navigated the complexities of a Grade I listed estate.”
— Jim Guiton, Health & Safety Manager, Ashridge House
Solution
2CL engineered a solution designed to turn Ashridge House’s communications from a passive tool into a proactive safety asset.
At the heart of the upgrade is the SMC Gateway, a smart integration tool that connects the estate’s fire panel directly to the radio network. This eliminated the “blind” period during alarms. Instead of reacting to a siren sound, staff now receive instant, detailed text alerts on their radio screens indicating exactly where the sensor activation occurred.
To ensure these alerts are received anywhere on the 190-acre estate, 2CL installed a Motorola Capacity Plus system. This digital trunking network acts as a digital highway, combining voice and data to support heavy radio traffic without congestion.
The team was equipped with Motorola R5 Handsets, chosen specifically for their ruggedness (IP67 rated against rain and dust) and their ability to filter out background noise. Whether working a windy outdoor event or a busy indoor conference, staff have reliable, crystal-clear audio connectivity.
The Result
The implementation of the Motorola Capacity Plus system and SMC Gateway has fundamentally transformed emergency procedures at Ashridge House.
The most critical change is the speed of information. Automated text alerts send zone-specific fire data directly to security handsets, eliminating manual checks and enabling a rapid, targeted response.
The “coordination gap” has also been closed. Whether coordinating a large corporate event or managing daily security, teams can now communicate simultaneously on dedicated channels without blocking urgent safety transmissions.
Beyond the immediate hardware upgrade, the system is designed to scale as Ashridge House continues to grow its executive education and events portfolio. The network can expand with it, supported by 2CL’s ongoing maintenance and expert advice.
Staff now operate with confidence, knowing their equipment works in all weather conditions and dead zones have been eliminated. And with 2CL’s ongoing support, they are ensured that their system remains compliant and fully operational.
From historic estates to modern purpose-built facilities, 2CL delivers tailored security and communication solutions that keep teams connected.
“It is rare to find a technical team that delivers such a sophisticated system with such straightforward, reliable support.”
— Jim Guiton, Health & Safety Manager, Ashridge House
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