Elmdale IT Services designed, installed and configured a complete IT and network infrastructure for Post Box Sports Bars, one of the South of England’s fastest-growing sports bar brands. Delivering managed network installation, WiFi, VoIP telephony and CCTV across venues in Basingstoke, Hampshire and Newbury, Berkshire, Elmdale provided the resilient, high-capacity connectivity that a busy hospitality venue demands.
Client Overview
Post Box Sports Bars are high-energy hospitality venues where technology is central to the customer experience. Live sport, interactive games, tills, WiFi card machines, VoIP phones and guest internet access all depend on reliable, fast connectivity — especially during peak trading and live sporting events.
Elmdale IT were first engaged to design and deliver the full network and connectivity solution at the original Post Box Sports Bar in Basingstoke. Following the success of that project, the partnership expanded to cover a full network, telephony and security installation at the brand’s second venue in Newbury — an engagement that began approximately 18 months after the original deployment.
The Challenge
Hospitality IT infrastructure must support multiple simultaneous demands: staff systems, customer WiFi, payment terminals, EPOS, interactive entertainment, back-office connectivity and telephone systems — all at the same time, with no tolerance for downtime.
Across both venues, Post Box Sports Bars needed a hospitality IT solution that delivered:
- Fast, reliable internet connectivity at each site
- Resilient backup connectivity to protect against broadband failure
- High-capacity WiFi across large, busy venues
- Secure guest WiFi access for customers
- Dependable wired connections for tills, EPOS and card machines
- Stable connectivity for interactive games and entertainment systems
- A modern VoIP phone system across both bars
- Comprehensive CCTV and security coverage at the Newbury venue
- Scalable infrastructure to support continued expansion
For a sports bar, downtime is not just an inconvenience. It directly affects card payments, customer experience, telephone bookings and the atmosphere of the venue.
The Elmdale IT Solution
Elmdale IT designed and installed a complete network, connectivity, telephony and security platform across both Post Box Sports Bar locations. Every element was designed around performance, reliability and resilience.
1. 1000Mb Internet Connectivity with 5G Backup
Each venue was built around high-speed 1000Mb internet, providing the bandwidth required for a modern, high-footfall hospitality environment. Elmdale IT also implemented 5G backup connectivity at both sites — meaning that if the primary connection fails, a secondary connection keeps critical systems online.
This backup resilience protects card payments, tills, guest WiFi, VoIP telephony, interactive gaming and back-office systems, giving Post Box Sports Bars a reliable level of business continuity even in the event of a broadband outage.
2. High-Capacity WiFi for Busy Hospitality Venues
Elmdale IT designed the wireless network to support large numbers of simultaneous users. At the Newbury venue, eight WiFi access points were carefully positioned to deliver reliable coverage throughout the bar, supporting strong roaming, minimal dead spots and enough capacity for customers, staff, card machines and interactive systems.
Guest WiFi was configured to provide customers with easy, secure internet access — supporting interactive experiences, customer engagement and general browsing during their visit.
Well-designed WiFi in a sports bar environment isn’t optional. It directly affects customer satisfaction, payment reliability and the performance of interactive entertainment.
3. Structured Cabling and Wired Network Infrastructure
Alongside the wireless network, Elmdale IT installed a fully structured cabled network across both venues, providing dependable wired connectivity for business-critical systems including tills, EPOS, WiFi card machines, access points, interactive games, VoIP phones and management systems.
At the Newbury venue, a high-speed 10Gb backbone network was installed and secured behind a Cambium NSE 3000 firewall — delivering the performance and security that a high-footfall venue requires. In hospitality, payment systems and operational technology cannot rely on inconsistent connectivity. A properly designed cabled network provides the stable foundation that keeps everything running.
4. VoIP Telephony
Elmdale IT implemented a VoIP phone system across both Post Box Sports Bar locations. At the Newbury venue, four WiFi handsets were installed as part of a flexible communications setup, giving staff the ability to handle calls from anywhere on-site.
The VoIP system provides professional call handling, flexible extensions, improved communication between venues and a scalable platform that grows with the business. By integrating telephony into the wider network and connectivity design, Elmdale IT ensured Post Box Sports Bars had a joined-up communications infrastructure rather than a collection of disconnected systems.
5. CCTV and Security Infrastructure
Security is a priority for any busy licensed premises. At the Newbury site, Elmdale IT installed 38 CCTV cameras, providing comprehensive coverage across the venue from opening day. The security installation was delivered alongside the network infrastructure, with cabling, cabinet organisation and configuration completed to the same standard as every other element of the project.
6. Connectivity for Interactive Entertainment Systems
Interactive games and entertainment are a core part of the modern sports bar experience. These systems require stable, low-latency network connectivity to perform reliably and keep customers engaged. Elmdale IT ensured the network design fully supported interactive entertainment at both venues, reducing the risk of interruptions and delivering a consistently strong customer experience.
The Result
Elmdale IT delivered a robust, secure and scalable technology platform across both Post Box Sports Bar locations. The Newbury venue benefited directly from the experience and standards established at the original Basingstoke site.
The complete solution includes:
- 1000Mb internet connectivity at both venues
- 5G backup for improved business resilience
- 10Gb high-speed backbone network at Newbury
- Cambium NSE 3000 firewall security
- High-capacity WiFi with 8 access points at Newbury
- Secure guest WiFi access
- Structured cabling for tills, EPOS and payment systems
- VoIP telephony across both bars
- 38 CCTV cameras at the Newbury venue
- Scalable infrastructure to support future sites
- Ongoing IT partnership with proven hospitality sector expertise
Every installation was completed to the same high standard, with full system testing, structured cabling, organised cabinet builds and thorough labelling ensuring every element was operational from opening day.
Client Testimonial
“Elmdale IT have been wonderful to work with from start to finish. They really understood what we needed as a busy hospitality venue, where reliable connectivity, strong WiFi, tills, card machines, interactive games and VoIP phones all need to work seamlessly, especially during peak trading times.
Their team designed and installed a solution that gives us confidence across both bars, with resilient internet connectivity, well-planned wireless coverage and a solid wired network that supports the way our business operates every day. The difference has been clear, not only in performance, but also in the professionalism and care shown throughout the project.
We will definitely be recommending Elmdale IT to other bars and venues, and we will be using them more as we continue to expand. Their knowledge of hospitality venues, connectivity and the importance of keeping everything running is second to none.”
Wayne Lee-Buckland, Owner, Post Box Sports Bars
Why Elmdale IT?
Elmdale IT specialises in network installation, WiFi design, VoIP telephony and security infrastructure for hospitality venues across Hampshire, Berkshire and the wider South of England. Bars, restaurants and entertainment venues rely on fast, resilient and well-managed connectivity to keep customers happy and operations running smoothly.
Having demonstrated their capability at the Basingstoke site first, Elmdale were well-placed to deliver the Newbury rollout to the same standard — without compromise. Their local presence, hands-on project management and consistent delivery across multiple sites makes them a trusted partner for growing hospitality businesses looking to scale.
From guest WiFi and EPOS connectivity through to VoIP telephony, CCTV and interactive entertainment, Elmdale IT designs solutions built around how a venue actually operates.