Whitwam AVI returns to St. Giles with managed services commitment

The Grade 1 listed St. Giles’ Cathedral in Edinburgh, one of Scotland’s most iconic religious landmarks, has agreed an ongoing maintenance contract with Whitwam AVI. This enduring partnership, which has continued to strengthen since an initial collaboration on a full AV system refit in 2016, remains vital to the smooth running of the Cathedral’s services, broadcasts and events. In addition to being a working parish church, St Giles’ is a major visitor attraction on the Edinburgh scene and is frequently used as a performance venue, hosting international musicians, spoken word events and candlelit orchestral concerts. Therefore, ensuring the ongoing functionality of all elements of the Cathedral’s audio, broadcast and video infrastructure is critical.

An established leader in specialist AV integration, Whitwam AVI has worked with many of the UK’s most revered ecclesiastical sites, including Winchester, Canterbury, and Peterborough Cathedrals. Introduced to St. Giles’ through AV consultant Michael Hyland and Associates, a long-time collaborator of Whitwam’s founder, David Harding, the relationship has flourished into a model of client-focused AV integration excellence.

“We see, first hand, the exceptional value our clients find from an ongoing maintenance relationship,” says Jack Baker, maintenance manager at Whitwam AVI. “Through a managed services collaboration, St. Giles is investing in the future and longevity of their technology.”

The partnership originally began back in 2016 with the installation of some sample Tannoy column loudspeakers and custom bracketry. This quickly evolved into a comprehensive AV transformation, including a speech reinforcement system, advanced video solutions and an organist’s video relay, later transitioning the system to be used for livestreaming of Sunday services to a dedicated YouTube channel. Today, Whitwam AVI is responsible for maintaining a technical ecosystem that supports St. Giles’ daily activities, both in-person and remotely via the Domotz RMM system.

The AV system at St. Giles’ Cathedral is expansive, comprising dozens of microphones, cameras, amplifiers, audio processors and control systems. Regular, proactive maintenance by the Whitwam team ensures the reliability and longevity of this investment, from full equipment inspections and testing to firmware updates and specialist cleaning.

‘We are thankful for the hard work and significant efforts of the Whitwam AVI team during recent maintenance visits,” confirms John Andrew, chief steward of St. Giles’ Cathedral. “It is a real team effort, and I appreciate the positive relationship that makes the maintenance visits and all the efforts to resolve any faults so meaningful. Having Whitwam as our ongoing partners gives us tremendous peace of mind.”

The core AV system at the Cathedral includes a Sennheiser wireless microphone system, a comprehensive network of Panasonic and Marshall cameras for streaming of worship and recording for security, along with the 47 Tannoy column loudspeakers. The system is powered and managed from equipment in custom racks, whilst Apple iPad touchscreens enable easy day-to-day user control of the Crestron-based system to support live services, streaming and recordings with the accuracy and professionalism that the environment demands.

The ongoing managed services agreement with Whitwam AVI ensures all components, from amplifiers and video matrices to wall mounts and mixing desks, function as intended. It also allows for early identification of potential issues, significantly reducing the risk of operational disruptions at the Cathedral.

“St. Giles has a customised maintenance contract in place, with training for their users on the systems included in this,” continues Baker. “Their SLA covers remote monitoring and a 72-hour response guarantee, alongside the crucial preventative maintenance visits.”

For almost a decade, Whitwam AVI’s dedicated team has brought deep technical expertise and a true understanding of heritage environments to its relationship with St. Giles’. Through its ongoing managed services partnership, this continuity will deliver peace of mind for the Cathedral team and enhanced return on investment by extending system longevity.

“Maintaining a system of this scale and importance takes more than just technical skill; it takes trust, familiarity and an eye for detail,” says Baker. “We’re proud to continue supporting St. Giles’ and to be able to help organisations get the most out of their investments over the long term.”

For the team at St. Giles, knowing they are backed by specialists who understand their specific setup is invaluable. “Issues are resolved quickly without disrupting our operations,” confirms Andrew, “The ongoing relationship we’ve built means they can anticipate our needs before they become problems, which allows us to focus on our core business rather than technology concerns. It’s not just about fixing things when they break, it’s about having trusted advisors who consistently ensure our AV systems are operational, in the best condition and stand the test of time and regular use.”