Case study
West London College
Legacy analogue cameras replaced with a centrally managed IP system across Hammersmith, Ealing Green and Southall.
- 103
- camera positions
- 3
- campuses, one control room
- 30 days
- recording retention
Electronic systems
Access control and door entry systems
Control who gets in, where and when, with one team handling specification, installation and project management.
- Platform
- Readers
- Covers
- Intercoms
- Coverage
- UK-wide
The problem
Keys cannot be audited or cancelled
- 01
Lost keys mean new locks
One lost key on a master suite can mean re-suiting the locks it opened. A lost fob is cancelled on the system, and the door schedule does not change.
- 02
No record of who went where
When something goes missing from a store or a cage, a list of who badged in and when is the difference between a hunch and an answer.
- 03
Visitors who get past reception
Door entry with audio or video means reception sees who is at the door before it opens.
- 04
Doors that cannot be shut quickly
In an incident, doors on the system lock or release together.
What it covers
Readers, intercoms and the panel behind them
- Card and swipe readers
- Two-way intercoms
- Door entry systems
- Control panels
- End-to-end project management
Accredited for this work
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Paxton
Silver Partner 2026 -
SafeContractor
Accredited
How you can buy it
- Specification and project management from end to end
- New systems or extensions to an existing one
- Integration with existing platforms where supported
What we install
The kit
- 01
Card and fob readers
Credentials issued per person, with access levels by door, area and time of day, and every entry logged.
- 02
Door entry and intercoms
Audio and video entry at main entrances and gates, so visitors are seen and spoken to before they are let in.
- 03
Control panels and software
The controller and software behind the doors, sized to the site and set up so your own staff can add and remove people.
- 04
Integration with CCTV
Where platforms allow it, an access event can call up the camera on that door, so video and door activity sit together.
Recent work
Access control and door entry in practice
Guide
Choosing an access control system
The right system is the one people use. Get it wrong and doors get propped open and codes get shared.
Request a free quote- 01
One door or the whole building
A single controlled door suits a stockroom, a staff entrance or a small office. Larger sites need a networked system covering several doors, floors or sites from one place. Designing for the next stage now avoids replacing it later.
- 02
Cards and fobs, or keypads
Keypads can work for low-risk areas, but codes get shared and cannot be tied to a person. Cards and fobs are issued to individuals, so the record of who went in means something, and a lost one is cancelled in seconds.
- 03
Who, where and when
Permissions can follow the day: staff in certain areas at any time, contractors only during working hours, visitors only once someone has approved them.
- 04
Visitors, contractors and deliveries
An intercom at the entrance lets staff see and speak to people before letting them in, and release the door without leaving their desk.
- 05
Easy enough to use
If a system slows people down, they find ways round it. Fast readers, simple enrolment and easy removal of leavers are what keep it working in practice.
- 06
A record you can rely on
Every entry is logged against a credential, which matters for safeguarding, investigations, compliance and insurance. Linked to CCTV, the footage sits alongside the log.
Can you work with our existing system?
Often, yes. Extensions to an existing platform are common, and HikCentral integrates with third-party access control including Paxton Net2. We confirm what is supported at design stage.
What happens when someone leaves?
Their credential is removed in the software and stops working immediately. No lock changes, no collecting keys.
Can we lock the building down in an emergency?
Yes. Doors on the system can be locked or released together from the software, which is what makes access control part of a lockdown plan.
Do we get a record of entries?
Yes. Every badge, granted or refused, is logged with the door, the credential and the time, and can be exported.
Are keypads secure enough?
For low-risk areas they can be. But codes get shared and cannot be traced to a person, so for anything that needs an audit trail we recommend cards or fobs issued to individuals.
Will installation disrupt the building?
It is planned to keep disruption down, with the noisy work scheduled around when the building is busiest and doors kept in service wherever possible.
Electronic systems
The rest of what we do
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Electronic CCTV IP, thermal and ANPR cameras, managed through Luxriot or HikCentral. IP · ANPR · Thermal Learn more
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Electronic Maintenance contracts Annual servicing and support for the systems we install. Annual contracts Learn more
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Physical Fabrication and welding Bespoke steelwork from our workshop: balustrades, ramps, platforms and repairs. MIG · TIG · Powder coat Learn more
Why MerFen
One firm makes it, fits it and keeps it working
Most installers fit what a manufacturer sells them. We make the physical side ourselves, so the specification starts with the site.
Request a free quote- In-house
Made in our own workshop
Screens, counters, doors, gates and hatches are fabricated in Edenbridge, to the sizes the building actually has.
- One team
Nobody passes the job on
The same people survey the site, draw the specification, make the steel, fit it and come back to service it.
- Approved
Accredited and partnered
SafeContractor accredited, with Hikvision VASP, Axis, Hanwha Vision and Paxton partner status behind the electronic side.
- After handover
Covered once it is in
Twelve months on our installation, three years on Hikvision hardware, and annual service contracts for the systems we install.