Delivered by: Intersafe

Context

The client is one of the largest cinema exhibitors in the UK operating a vast national estate spanning over 70 locations, from the Channel Islands to Scotland and Ireland. With thousands of electrical items crucial to both public safety and the complex projection technology (including 3D systems), the client required a highly professional, reliable partner to manage the statutory testing of approximately 25,000 portable appliances (PAT Testing) across its entire national portfolio.

Challenge

The primary challenge was integrating essential electrical safety compliance with the highly specific operational demands of a working cinema business:

• Non-disruptive compliance: Testing had to be carried out around the cinema's strict, non-negotiable screening times, which run from early morning until midnight, ensuring no disruption to film schedules or customer experience.

• Specialised equipment access: The critical projection equipment, integral to the business, required mandatory testing before the first film showing of the day, demanding early-morning access and precise scheduling.

• National logistics and administration: The compliance programme required planning, scheduling, and direct communication with management at all 70+ locations nationwide, followed by efficient administration and reporting across the vast, geographically dispersed estate.

Solution

Intersafe, part of Complii, implemented a flexible, dedicated, and highly administrative approach to ensure successful, non-disruptive compliance across the entire cinema portfolio:

• Direct site management: The Intersafe team took complete ownership of the logistics, directly contacting and making all testing arrangements with individual cinema managers nationwide, minimising administrative burden on the client’s central technical team.

• Flexible scheduling and operation: Teams were deployed to work outside standard business hours, specifically scheduling work around the demanding film times (from 10:30 AM to midnight) and ensuring critical projection equipment testing was completed before the first public screening.

• Efficient digital administration: All testing arrangements were confirmed via email and fax, and following completion, each site was promptly supplied with official test certificates in digital PDF format, providing an immediate, verifiable compliance record.

Results

The partnership successfully delivered a comprehensive, risk-managed electrical compliance program across the entire national estate:

• 100% schedule adherence: The proactive service and flexible approach ensured all 25,000 items were tested across all 76 locations without causing disruption to screening times or impacting the cinema’s core business operations.

• Exceptional administration: The detailed planning and efficient administration, a key requirement for such a large national account, were continually praised by the client for being excellent and responsive.

• Trusted national resource: Intersafe demonstrated the capacity and flexibility to handle a vast national account with complex, specific needs, earning positive feedback from cinema management teams and becoming a trusted resource for proactive, safety-led electrical compliance.