Quality is the key factor combining every element of The Filling Station, a new 250-capacity live events venue just outside Winchester. From the reclaimed, vintage architectural elements and memorabilia to the classic cars on sale, everything exudes the craftsmanship and passion that has gone into creating this unique space. Underpinning it all is a cabling infrastructure from Van Damme that leaves nothing to chance.
Situated just 10 minutes outside Winchester amongst the farmland of rural Hampshire, The Filling Station is trying to bring something different to its local audience and visitors from further afield. The venue brings a feeling of luxury with its vintage aesthetics which marry perfectly with the collection of classic cars on sale in the integrated dealership.
On top of the cars and the high-quality menu on offer from the dedicated kitchen, The Filling Station has another string to its bow. The intimate, 250-capacity venue has been designed to host everything from live performances and private parties to corporate events and product launches. To ensure it can do this to the highest standard possible, the venue features AV equipment from some of the biggest names in the industry including L-Acoustics, Allen & Heath and Chamsys. Underpinning all of this is an unparalleled cabling infrastructure from Van Damme that ensures anything can be achieved.
“The whole building has several lines of fibre around the place as well as all the audio connections anyone could need,” explains venue owner, Niall Holden. “We have the main stage, but we have set up the venue so people can plug in anywhere and we can meet any needs as things change or grow. I just wanted it to be the best it could possibly be.”
This cabling infrastructure was built using Van Damme Tourcat. It was designed to handle Dante audio networking, foldback and the high-speed network throughout the entire facility.
While the venue has been built for live entertainment, it also offers an extra element for performers. Attached to The Filling Station is another of Holden’s ventures, a state-of-the-art recording studio which can take a feed directly from the stage, Winchester Audio Barn. “We’ve got the tie lines back to the studio so we can record live performances,” reveals Holden.
“It offers an advantage for bands because they can be in the studio wondering if a new song will sound any good when they play it live,” adds system designer and installer Bill Ward from Langdale Technical. “They can rehearse it in the studio and then bring it up to the venue and do a live set to find out.”
While The Filling Station is the main events space, the design of Winchester Audio Barn and the integrated cabling infrastructure also makes it a viable option to expand corporate events with larger breakout options, or add unique VIP experiences.
“It’s a very interesting space,” notes Stuart Bruce, engineer, producer, musician and educator who also leant his expertise to the project. “And it’s the flexibility of it that makes it really interesting. Very few places I can think of that have a live venue, a restaurant and all those other things that come along with the bar, as well as a recording studio.”
