Gordon’s Wine Bar

Gordon’s Wine Bar is thought to be the oldest wine bar in London; long established since 1890. An incredibly unique atmosphere is enjoyed by old and young alike. At Gordon’s you will be treated to a fine array of exceptional wines and beers, as well as a cheese bar. The cheese bar includes a fabulous mix of delicious meats, breads and cheeses from around the world. A range of award-winning sherries, Madeira’s and ports are served directly from the barrel, all adding to the experience.

The establishment is hosted within a basement location, tucked away near the Charing Cross station. It features candle-lit corners, cozy nooks and crannies and charm in abundance. The bar and restaurant are nestled under the railway arches contributing to the unique ambiance. With a recently created outside area providing additional seating that forms the garden terrace, this Dickensian styled destination will take you back in time. It exudes character and with minimal electric lighting inside, customers can expect an authentic and romantic experience. The venue really is very special.

Taking Payments

The bar area at Gorgon’s is truly unique, with only a small indoor capacity. The challenge has always been taking payments via credit card (PDQ) machines, made almost impossible through a lack of efficient Wi-Fi. The unreliable and slow connections provided by the original copper wire deployment meant that connectivity was constantly lost during busy times. This proved to be a strain on the staff and would often end up in tempers being tested.

Gordon’s were keen to get the situation resolved since being a London based business, increasingly, most of the clientele do not carry cash. Being able to pay by card is a modern-day expectation, so having this facility is a must in order for the business to survive.

The first option to be explored was fibre. Unfortunately, this would have represented a major disruption; digging up the pavements outside the business premises was simply not financially viable, not to mention obtaining the license which represented another significant challenge. Add to this a long and frustrating wait to enable the fibre to be connected, which was well over 12 months.

The impact to the heritage-business was beginning to get critical which is when Purdicom stepped-in and became involved in the project. Purdicom, working together with Cambium Networks, offered indoor and outdoor Wi-Fi solutions, ready for deployment without the need to lay additional fibre cables. The Cambium solution could be deployed immediately offering a robust and reliable solution perfectly solving all of the pain-points experienced by Gordon’s.

The Technology

Installing Cambium ePMP wireless backhaul link outside and cnPilot access points inside and outside the remises created the perfect network. In order to remain in keeping with the look and feel of the bar, the access points were wrapped to blend seamlessly with the beautiful and unique surroundings of the underground venue.
This meant that the overall look and feel of the décor was not compromised in any way.

Happy Customers, Happy Staff & Increased Bottom Line

Gordon’s can now take payments inside and out. This has had a huge impact on the business. Customers are much more comfortable with the convenience this offers. Gordon’s no longer have to turn customers away if they do not have cash. Customers do not need to queue up to get to the bar in lines reaching out the door! This has led to less strain and demand on the small inside space. Customers spend more money and are no longer deterred by long queues, once created by everybody clambering to the bar the same time to pay – now a thing of the past. More drinks and top-ups can be offered, and the beer continues to flow readily and easily!

Gordon’s can now run CCTV off their wireless ePMP back-haul from their new network adding an additional level of security previously not possible. Phase One of the project has enabled Gordon’s to remove the old broadband and telephone lines in favour of new VoWi-Fi solutions made possible with the improved Wi-Fi. This has resulted in a saving of the overall running costs to the business, and new efficiencies.

Phase Two of this project will see the roll-out of Encapto PEP. Encapto PEP will provide Gordon’s’ customers with access to Wi-Fi via public login and enable Gordon’s the ability to market more effectively to its customers. As well as providing a facility to collect valuable analytics. This will help with pushing exclusive promotions and offering even more value to its customers.

In all the whole project has resulted in much happier staff, more satisfied customers and an increase in revenue through the convenience. To find out how Purdicom can help you and your customers with any of these solutions, please call the team on +44 (0)1488 647 647 or email cnpilot@purdi.com