Projects: Digital Signage A Big Part Of London Whitechapel Diner’s Facelift

May 4, 2017 by Dave Haynes

My first reaction to a “£500,000 interior design investment” in a London dessert diner, based on the supplied photos, is wondering why they couldn’t have put just a little of that big budget into level tables.

The poor woman’s food might slide right off if she doesn’t keep a fork firmly in place.

But … looking beyond that, the Whitechapel franchise of the 1950s-themed Creams Cafe has undergone a major facelift that includes a pile of display tech. An LG press release notes:

The centrepiece to the cafe is a 4×2 LG 47” 47LV35A-5BC videowall mounted on a Peerless retractable videowall bracket for ease of installation and maintenance. The whole system is controlled by a Kramer VS-44HDMI matrix managing Brightsign hardware and software, a Denon Pro bluray player, a media PC and local HDMI points for presentation. The display features Creams videos as well as the ability to switch seamlessly between inputs throughout the day with a remote control.

Six other LG SM5K-B displays are placed around the cafe in booths to relay content to customers. These are also controlled by the state of the art rack system alongside an Audac audio matrix for music reproduction throughout the cafe. This can be controlled by web OS with an iPhone or PC application to change sources locally and import MP3s and microphone inputs when required for special occasions with local volume controls throughout the cafe.

The set-up was put together by integrator Elite Engineering.

“We wanted to create a unique environment for our clients with multimedia entertainment integrated into the interior design throughout, but also to be able to offer bespoke content packages as an added revenue stream for the cafe,” says owner Yusuf Rab. “When we have birthdays with special messages on the video wall and screens, the customer can provide us with photos or messages which can be displayed at an additional cost. It’s been a really popular feature and the design as a whole helps us to attract a variety of demographics throughout the week.”

The walls throughout feature innovative TV glass tailored to fit the cafe walls and screen sizes, which enables the screens to be seen when they are switched on or becomes an opaque mirrored effect when they choose to have no media playing in the cafe. Infinity mirrors installed in the ceiling change colour on timers for added interest for customers in by the counter area.

A private dining area in the lower level also has a 65 display.