“The bars at our venues are extremely busy so we needed the tills to be fairly robust and easy to use. We’re very happy with the new tills, they’ve survived everything thrown at them so far and the staff find them easy to use. They’re a considerable aesthetic improvement on our old tills and take up a lot less bar space.”
Gareth Potts, General Manager, Leicester Square Theatre
The Client and The Challenge
Located right in the beating heart of London, Leicester Square Theatre is one of the capital’s premier stand-up comedy venues. After opening in its present guise in 2008 with a 12-week residency from late great US comedy queen Joan Rivers, the venue has gone on to host performances from a procession of household names such as Stewart Lee, Bill Bailey, Michael McIntyre, Frankie Boyle, Jo Brand and Russell Howard. Prior to reopening as the Leicester Square Theatre, the venue was best known for its role in shaping the London music scene in the 1960s and 70s. Under the names Notre Dame Hall and Cavern in the Town, it held gigs by legendary bands such as The Rolling Stones, The Who, The Small Faces, The Sex Pistols and The Clash.
As well as comedy, the theatre still hosts theatrical productions and musicals, including well received children’s shows in collaboration with the Scamp Theatre Company. Like any modern performance venue, business at the Leicester Square Theatre is not just a matter of what happens on stage. A popular nightspot in the centre of Westminster, the theatre also depends on its bars serving thirsty punters for a significant portion of its income. And wherever you are selling refreshments to crowds of customers, you need an EPOS system that is up to the task. Gareth Potts, General Manager of Leicester Square Theatre, said: “We have a four hundred seat auditorium, with three bars directly serving that and a separate bar in our basement. We also have a smaller sister venue called the Museum of Comedy in Bloomsbury in London which has one bar “.
“Most of our tills were original from our opening in 2008 and it was becoming difficult if not impossible to get parts, particularly fob readers, as they failed. First and foremost, we just needed replacement hardware. The bars at our venues are extremely busy so we needed the tills to be fairly robust and easy to use.” Due to high footfall at peak times, Gareth said a main requirement was to have software set up on the tills so orders could be processed in quick time. The venue was already using ICRTouch and was happy with it, but then ran into a problem.
“After originally supplying us with ICRTouch, our supplier had moved on to developing their own software, which wasn’t compatible with our existing tills, some of which were still in good/usable condition. So, they could only propose replacing all of the tills and all of the software. At this point we decided to look at finding a supplier who could provide ICRTouch so that we could keep the remaining functioning tills.” As a result of a Google search, Gareth found Impact EPoS, an independent POS hardware and software systems supplier based in Elstree, Hertfordshire.
“Impact EPoS has been around for five years and was setup by senior staff from a previous EPOS company,” director Andrew Hatton explained. “Many of our clients came over to the new company and some of them we have been supplying and supporting for over 20 years. We operate in both the hospitality and retail sectors. Requirements in both are getting increasingly complex, with more and more integrations required. The days of supplying a simple standalone cash register are long gone! Both sectors also need options for hardware. Some customers will want small, compact units while others will want larger screens with the bright, clear customer displays. All of our customers want reliable hardware that represents good value.”
The Solution and Results from AURES
Tasked with replacing a few worn out terminals at the Leicester Square Theatre while maintaining continuity with existing hardware and software, Impact’s flexibility proved a major benefit. “As an independent company we are able to offer a wide variety of hardware and software solutions,” said Andrew. “We find AURES hardware paired with either ICRTouch Touchpoint or GPoS from Fidelity Systems suits most of our customer’s requirements.
“We have been supplying AURES hardware for many years, going back to the Posligne 1500. The main terminal we take is the YUNO. We have found it to be reliable, easy to work with and the customers like the look of it. The optional AURES peripherals fit neatly to the terminals, saving space.” Leicester Square Theatre ended up buying five YUNO terminals to add to three existing tills, with Impact installing the latest version of ICRTouch on all of them. “This was at the recommendation of Impact EPOS and as the same tills had been on the quote from our previous supplier, I assumed that they were a good option to go with,” said Gareth.
“We’re very happy with the new tills, they’ve survived everything thrown at them so far and the staff find them easy to use. They’re a considerable aesthetic improvement on our old tills and take up a lot less bar space.” Andrew added: “We don’t get a huge amount of feedback from end users regarding AURES hardware, which I consider to be a good thing. For many, if the POS are working well, they are not noticed. Reliability and quality has been a big factor with AURES terminals. We do have cheaper options for our end users, but will always recommend AURES.
“Having worked with AURES for many years, we have seen them develop and innovate in this sector. We benefit from modern designs, with reliable hardware – I know I have mentioned that a lot, but it is so important to us and end users! If there is any issue with hardware, we are able to resolve it quickly and easily, with AURES holding good stock. If we do have to send hardware back for repair, the turnaround is quick.”
Unit Highlights
The AURES YUNO combines robust performance with stylish, compact design, making it a flexible choice for use in a wide range of retail and hospitality settings. Available with a choice of three different processors, the YUNO features a shock- and scratch-proof PCAP touchscreen monitor, either a standard 4:3 15.1’’ screen or a 16:9 15.6’’ widescreen version. The durable casing also stands up to dirt, dust, grease and spillages. VESA fixings mean it can be mounted on walls or poles as well as used on the table top. Overall, the YUNO’s combination of advanced technology, ergonomics, flexibility and design make it an ideal value-for-money investment for any customer-facing business.
