Who verified the last delivery driver through your yard gate? If you’re running a freight operation off Burnt Mills Road or managing warehouse units at Kierbeck Business Park, that question matters every day. The A13 and A130 give you fast access to the M25 and London – but those same roads bring anyone to your gate inside minutes. When access isn’t controlled, you don’t know who’s in your yard until they’re already there.
We’re Eastern Security – a local, family-run security company that cares about your security. Based in Southend-on-Sea, we’ve been installing intercom and door entry systems for businesses across Essex since we were founded in 1980. We know the industrial estates around Pitsea and the operational pressure that comes with managing yard access for freight, logistics, and light manufacturing businesses.
Call us on 01702 467850 to arrange your free site survey.
What our intercom installation covers in Pitsea
Pitsea’s commercial landscape is dominated by warehouse units, freight depots, and light industrial premises. Virtually none of them run with a staffed reception desk. The business owner or facilities manager is in the back of the warehouse. The site foreman is in the yard. When a driver arrives at the gate, someone needs to verify them remotely before they’re inside the perimeter.
That’s the operational problem an intercom system solves. Not “seeing who’s at the door” – controlling who enters a commercial site before any verification has to happen face-to-face.
We install intercom and door entry systems across the full range of Pitsea’s commercial property stock:
- Burnt Mills Industrial Estate (Hovefields Avenue / Burnt Mills Road) – warehouse-scale units hosting logistics and distribution operations, where yard gate video intercoms are the primary access filter for HGV and courier traffic.
- Kierbeck Business Park (Wharf Lane, SS16 4SW) – 91,237 sq ft across six warehouse units, where loading-bay intercoms need to handle high-volume delivery traffic without creating bottlenecks.
- Hovefields Court (SS13 1EB) – a multi-tenant estate with a mix of trade, distribution and light industrial occupiers. Multi-tenant landlords here face a recurring challenge: credential management when a unit changes hands.
- Scimitar Park Industrial Estate (Courtauld Road, SS13 1ND) – home to a mix of SME and distribution units. Smaller operations that suit audio intercom where video is not required.
- Tuskite Business Park (Pitsea Hall Lane, SS16 4UH) – light industrial units with A13 access, now under new management, where we’re seeing increased demand for access credential reviews on unit turnover.
- Old Market Retail Park (High Road, SS13 3BW) – retail and service premises where staff-entry control and out-of-hours access management are the primary requirements.
If your premises aren’t on this list, get in touch. We cover the whole of Essex (and parts of London), and a free site survey costs you nothing. Call 01702 467850 to arrange yours.
Why Pitsea businesses need controlled access
Pitsea’s road network draws freight operators in. Those same A13 and A130 links make every yard gate on Hovefields Avenue and Wharf Lane reachable from the dual carriageway in minutes. Fast access cuts both ways.
The national picture frames the risk. In 2023, the Commercial Victimisation Survey found that 26% of business premises in England and Wales experienced crime in the previous 12 months. That’s around 409,000 premises. Burglary or attempted burglary affected 8% of premises.
An intercom system at your yard gate is not an afterthought. It’s the first filter on who enters your site – and most of your competitors haven’t fitted one.
Source: Commercial Victimisation Survey 2023, Home Office
We offer a free site survey for Pitsea businesses. Call 01702 467850 to book yours.
Intercom systems for commercial premises
What’s the right system for your site? The answer depends on your premises type, your staffing model, and whether you need credentials managed centrally or per-unit.
For larger sites – yard gates at Kierbeck or Burnt Mills loading bays – a video door entry system is the lead solution. A driver presses the call point at the gate. The staff member at their desk, or on their mobile, sees a live image and opens the gate remotely. No one needs to walk to the perimeter. No unknown vehicle enters without being seen.
For single-tenant SME units at Scimitar Park or Hovefields Court, an audio intercom is often sufficient. Lower cost, simpler to maintain, and perfectly adequate where you don’t need visual verification before releasing the door.
For unmanned or remotely managed premises, a GSM or cloud-connected intercom routes the call to a mobile number rather than a fixed handset. Your site manager can verify and admit a visitor from anywhere with a signal. We can discuss which option suits your site during the free site survey.
For multi-tenant landlords managing several units at Hovefields Court or Tuskite Business Park, proximity reader integration adds a layer of credential management. When a tenant vacates, their fob or card is deactivated centrally – no lock changes, no keys to chase. New tenant, new credential. Clean and auditable.
We can also integrate intercom systems with your existing access control system, or design a combined solution from scratch. Call 01702 467850 to arrange a free site survey.
Your legal obligations as a Pitsea business
Three pieces of legislation are directly relevant to commercial intercom and door entry installation. This is an informational overview, not legal advice – your risk assessment and a competent security or fire safety professional should determine your exact obligations.
Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005, Article 14
The Fire Safety Order 2005 requires that emergency doors are not locked in a way that prevents easy and immediate use in an emergency. In practice, any electronically locked door on an escape route – including electrified striker locks on warehouse exit doors – must be capable of releasing so occupants can evacuate. This is the legal duty. The practical implementation (fail-safe mechanisms, fire-alarm-triggered release) is addressed through Approved Document B and BS 7273-4 guidance. If you’re running a large depot unit at Kierbeck or Burnt Mills, this affects how your door entry lock is configured on any door that forms part of your escape route.
Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 – legislation.gov.uk
Equality Act 2010, Section 20
Building owners and property managers have an anticipatory duty to make reasonable adjustments for disabled persons at commercial premises. For intercom and video door entry systems, this means call points, entry panels, and video screens must be accessible – considering height, reach, and audio clarity. BS 8300 provides technical guidance on accessible design in the built environment.
Equality Act 2010, Section 20 – legislation.gov.uk
UK GDPR and the Data Protection Act 2018
A video door entry system that captures identifiable images of visitors is processing personal data. You need a lawful basis – typically legitimate interests under Article 6(1)(f) of UK GDPR – and you need to manage it properly. That means appropriate signage at the entry point, a documented retention policy, and a process for handling access requests. There is no statutory retention period that applies universally; the right duration depends on your documented policy and the storage limitation principle under UK GDPR.
ICO guidance on UK GDPR – ico.org.uk
If any of these obligations apply to your premises, the free site survey is the right starting point. Call 01702 467850 – we’ll assess your site and flag anything that needs addressing.
Why choose Eastern Security for intercom installation in Pitsea
We have over 40 years of experience in the design and installation of intercom and door entry systems. We’re SSAIB-approved for intruder alarm systems (since 1996) and CCTV (since 2015) – the same engineering team installs your door entry system. You can verify our SSAIB approval at supplier.ssaib.org. All our engineers are DBS-checked. Every installation carries a 12-month warranty on parts and labour.
We’re also not structured the way some security companies are. No commission-based sales – our staff focus on designing the right system. NOT the most expensive. At Scimitar Park or Tuskite Business Park, we look at what you actually need – not what generates the largest invoice.
Trusted, polite and customer-focused: that’s how we work. Here’s what Paul Riggs at Interlink Express said:
“Eastern Security are a local company that care about your security. Quick responses and by very friendly staff who will always go the extra mile for you.”
Paul Riggs, Interlink Express
Interlink Express is a freight logistics operation. They face the same yard-gate and loading-bay access challenges as operators on Hovefields Avenue or Wharf Lane.
You can find out more about us on our About Eastern Security page, or see our full range of commercial security services. Or call 01702 467850 and we’ll arrange a free site survey at your Pitsea premises.
Preventative maintenance for your door entry system
A gate intercom that fails on a Monday morning – when delivery traffic is building – is worse than no system at all. Maintenance isn’t optional for a commercial site. It’s the thing that keeps your access control working.
We offer annual servicing for all the door entry and intercom systems we install. Routine checks cover call point function, camera clarity, lock release, and software or firmware where applicable. You get a trustworthy and reliable service from friendly engineers who will fix any technical issues the same day… if possible. For faults requiring specialist parts or more complex repairs, we’ll book a follow-up as quickly as we can.
Our security system maintenance service covers rapid call-outs in an emergency and responsive maintenance teams. If your gate intercom fails outside a scheduled service, you’re not waiting days for an engineer. We’re only ever a phone call away.
All installations carry a 12-month warranty on parts and labour. Call 01702 467850 to discuss a maintenance plan for your site.
Frequently asked questions
Can an intercom be integrated with a gate or barrier at a yard entrance?
Yes. This is one of the most common configurations we install for sites at Kierbeck Business Park and Tuskite Business Park. The intercom call point is mounted at the gate or barrier post; the release signal triggers the gate motor or barrier arm directly. We survey the gate mechanism and cable runs during the free site visit and confirm compatibility before any work begins.
What happens to intercom access credentials when a unit tenant changes?
For proximity-reader-integrated systems – the type commonly suited to multi-tenant estates like Hovefields Court – credentials are managed centrally. When a tenant vacates, their fob or access card is deactivated on the system without any physical lock change. The new tenant receives new credentials. We can configure this during installation, or retrofit credential management to an existing system where the hardware supports it.
Do intercom systems comply with fire safety requirements for electronically locked doors?
The configuration of the lock is what determines compliance, not the intercom itself. Article 14 of the Fire Safety Order 2005 requires that escape routes are not locked in a way that prevents easy, immediate exit. In practice, any electric lock on a fire exit must be specified as fail-safe – it releases when power is interrupted, including during a fire alarm activation. We configure all locks on escape routes correctly as part of the installation. If you’re unsure whether your existing door entry lock is configured correctly, raise it during the free site survey.
What types of intercom and door entry systems can Eastern Security install?
We install video door entry systems, audio intercom systems, GSM and cloud-connected intercoms for remote or unmanned premises, and proximity-reader-integrated door entry for multi-tenant access management. This includes standalone door entry systems and access control systems, or combined installations. The right choice depends on your site – which is why we start with a free site survey.
Is Eastern Security qualified to install commercial door entry and intercom systems?
We’re a local, family-run security company with over 40 years of experience in the design and installation of intercom and door entry systems. Our engineers are DBS-checked and work across the full range of commercial premises in Pitsea and throughout Essex. We’re SSAIB-approved for intruder alarm systems and CCTV – the same engineering team installs your door entry system. Our SSAIB profile is at supplier.ssaib.org.
How often should a commercial door entry system be serviced?
We recommend an annual service as a minimum for most commercial door entry and intercom systems. Higher-traffic sites – freight depots, loading bays with multiple daily activations – benefit from a more frequent check. Your service schedule should reflect the usage level and the consequences of a failure on your site. We can discuss the right interval during the site survey or when setting up a maintenance agreement.
Get in touch for intercom installation in Pitsea
Managing a yard gate on Hovefields Avenue, a loading bay at Kierbeck Business Park, or a unit at Scimitar Park? Controlled access starts with the right intercom system. Professional, knowledgable and friendly: that’s the team you’ll deal with from survey to installation.
We offer a free site survey – no obligation, no pressure. We’ll assess your premises, talk through the options, and confirm the right system for your site. We save you time, money & hassle by designing the system that fits your operation, not the one that fits our margins.
Call us on 01702 467850 or visit easternsec.co.uk to get started. Eastern Security, 10 Bircham Road, Southend-on-Sea, Essex SS2 5DN.
