SECTOR ARENAS & LIVE ENT.

Fire & Security
Systems for
Arenas & Live Entertainment

Centurion installs fire alarms, CCTV and access control for arenas and live entertainment venues across the UK. NSI Gold accredited, with five major Northern arenas in our portfolio.

  • NSI Gold Accredited
  • BAFE Registered
  • Paxton Gold Partner

About this sector

Centurion in arenas & live entertainment

Arenas and live entertainment venues host large indoor crowds with rapid turnarounds between events. Fire detection, voice alarm and evacuation systems must perform at full capacity from the first event of the week to the last. Martyn's Law places statutory security preparedness obligations on venues hosting public events, requiring documented security planning and trained staff as a minimum.

Centurion has designed and maintained fire and security systems across major arenas and live entertainment venues in the North of England for over a decade. We hold contracts with five major Northern arenas - including First Direct Arena in Leeds, Sheffield Arena, York Barbican and Hull Connexin Live Arena - covering fire alarms, CCTV, intruder alarms and access control at each site.

Our engineers work to event schedules, carrying out installation and maintenance between shows, during load-in windows or overnight to avoid disruption to live events. Every system design separates public areas, backstage zones and VIP sections - reflecting the operational layout of a working venue.

Standards & Compliance

The regulations that govern your arena and live entertainment venue

Every system we design is built to meet the statutory guidance, British Standards and sector-specific requirements your site is accountable to.

Martyn's Law

Terrorism (Protection of Premises) Act

Security preparedness for venues hosting public events and assemblies.

RR(FS)O 2005

Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order

Statutory fire safety for public entertainment venues.

BS 5839-1

Fire Detection & Alarm Systems

Fire detection and voice alarm requirements for large venues.

BS EN 62676

CCTV System Standard

Crowd monitoring, perimeter and back-of-house surveillance.

GDPR / DPA 2018

Data Protection

CCTV in public areas, retention and access obligations.

NSI Gold

National Security Inspectorate

Highest tier of independent security certification.

What we provide

Fire & security solution for arenas & live entertainment

Every system is designed around your site's compliance requirements, operational constraints and risk profile - not a generic specification.

  • CCTV & IP Video Surveillance

    Centurion installs IP CCTV for arenas covering public concourses, entry points, backstage corridors and perimeter. AI-powered video analytics support crowd monitoring and intruder detection between events. Systems are designed to BS EN 62676 with GDPR-compliant retention settings from day one.

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  • Access Control & Visitor Management

    Centurion designs access control with separate permission zones for public concourses, backstage, artist areas and cash-handling points. Paxton Gold Partner - systems are scalable across multi-venue portfolios with centralised management and full staff access audit trails.

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  • Intruder Alarm Systems

    Monitored intruder alarm systems for arenas and entertainment venues, protecting the full site between events including back-of-house areas, box offices and production storage. NSI Gold certified installation ensures insurance compliance and a verified alarm response.

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Why this sector is different

The challenges we solve

02

Variable Occupancy

Systems must perform reliably at full capacity during events and remain secure when venues are empty between shows. Detection zones, alarm thresholds and access permissions are set to reflect both operational states.

03

Public Safety & Evacuation

Voice alarm, detection and wayfinding systems must support safe evacuation of large indoor crowds. Centurion specifies PAVA and directional signalling for venues where occupancy levels make a standard alarm tone insufficient.

04

Back-of-House Security

Artist, crew, staff and cash-handling areas require separate access control and CCTV coverage from public zones. Centurion designs zone-separated systems that reflect the real operational map of the venue.

05

Licensing & Compliance

Licensed venues carry fire safety and security obligations under RR(FS)O 2005 and local licensing conditions. Martyn's Law adds statutory security requirements. Centurion systems are designed to meet all applicable obligations.

Trusted by arenas & live entertainment

Organisations that rely on Centurion

Long-term relationships with arenas, entertainment venues and major event organisations across Yorkshire and the UK.

Chilterns Lifestyle Centre

Large multi-area leisure and entertainment venue Long-term client

Fire alarm with 700m of aspirating detection pipework, integrated PAVA voice alarm and deaf alert pager system. Complete life safety cover across a large multi-area public venue with complex zone requirements.

Major Indoor Entertainment Venue

Large-capacity indoor entertainment venue, 8,000+ capacity, North of England Client since 2018

Full fire and security systems across a large indoor venue - fire detection, PAVA voice alarm, CCTV and access control. Systems maintained to RR(FS)O and BS 5839-1 with all works scheduled around live event programmes.

Common questions

Arenas & Live Entertainment sector FAQs

We answer the questions arenas and live entertainment venue managers ask us most. Can't find what you need? Call 0800 590 592.

Can you work around event schedules?
Yes. Centurion coordinates all installation and maintenance activity with venue operations teams to avoid show days, load-in and load-out windows. Works are typically scheduled in overnight windows, dark weeks or between events. A works calendar is agreed with your team before any engineer is on site.
Do you cover Martyn's Law security requirements?
Yes. Centurion designs and installs the physical security systems that form part of a venue's Martyn's Law compliance - including access control, CCTV and intruder alarm systems. We work alongside your security management team to ensure installed systems meet the requirements of the Terrorism (Protection of Premises) Act.
Can you install and maintain voice alarm systems for large arenas?
Yes. Centurion installs and maintains PAVA voice alarm systems for large indoor venues to BS 5839-1. PAVA is required where occupancy levels or layout mean a standard alarm tone is insufficient for directed evacuation. Systems are commissioned and maintained to the full standard.
What CCTV coverage does an arena need?
A Centurion arena CCTV system typically covers public concourses, entry and exit points, backstage corridors, artist areas, cash-handling points and external perimeter. AI video analytics support crowd monitoring and intruder detection. Systems are designed to BS EN 62676 with remote monitoring options available.
Can you manage fire and security across multiple venues?
Yes. Centurion manages maintenance contracts across multi-venue operators, providing a single point of contact and consistent compliance documentation across all sites. Service records and PPM histories are maintained centrally for audit and reporting.
How do you handle GDPR for CCTV in public entertainment spaces?
All CCTV systems Centurion installs for entertainment venues are configured to meet GDPR and DPA 2018 requirements, including retention period settings, access controls and appropriate signage. We advise on coverage zone boundaries and can assist with data protection impact assessments during the design stage.