Papple Steading is a remote resort wanting powerful broadband that complimented their exclusive surroundings. This success story showcases how they established a network using BTnet, that caters for business and holiday guests alike.
Papple Steading is a remote resort wanting powerful broadband that complimented their exclusive surroundings. This success story showcases how they established a network using BTnet, that caters for business and holiday guests alike.
Established by George Mackintosh, Papple Steading has a rich history born from Scotland’s agricultural heritage. Built in 1871, the exclusive resort is a historic steading, a lovingly restored farmhouse with accompanying surrounding buildings that have been converted to house up to 20 guests. Papple Steading’s sizeable plot and remote location in East Lothian, Scotland, has made it the ideal destination as a retreat for corporate hospitality, family holidays and team building.
The dual focus of the resort ‐ to house both businesses and holiday makers alike–meant that Papple Steading had to address a number of challenges to suit both parties.
Digital connectivity is often taken for granted by those based in busy city hubs but is all too often a pain point for businesses and homes across the UK. Based in the hills 45 minutes outside of Edinburgh, Papple Steading was no stranger to the impact of poor signal and connectivity issues on its business.
We knew that our success would be measured by beds and connectivity.
With the ‘beds’ part underway with the venue fitted with luxurious accommodation, Papple Steading had also identified the need to have a high-quality internet connection that could cater to a range of guests. With the resort billed as an exclusive experience, it was of paramount importance that all services delivered as part of
the package would live up to guests’ expectations. A strong and robust connection was particularly important to attract corporate guests, ensuring that business went uninterrupted should guests want to work onsite.
I said that we must get uncompromised, reliable, and outstanding capacity. I said that even before I picked up the phone to BT.
As a small business looking to stand out from the competition, Papple Steading’s team recognised the strategic need to partner with an established business. Confidence in their chosen supplier would allow them to focus on the big picture of their business, without concern for the day-to-day running of the service.
By working with BT Local Business Scotland, Papple Steading benefited from the size and resources of BT, accompanied by the wealth of experience and local knowledge from BT Local Business Scotland on their doorstep. The team at BT Local Business Scotland are familiar with the connectivity problems that plague large parts of remote Scotland, often severely limiting business capabilities across the region. They worked with Papple Steading to identify their connectivity challenges, opting for BTnet Leased Line.
When looking for a solution that suited the site requirements and needs of the guests, Papple Steading found that comparable broadband options failed to provide the same network capacity, coverage and resilience of BTnet’s Leased Line. BT’s credibility within the connectivity space also assured the business that they wouldn’t be let down by a substandard service.
With BTnet, Papple Steading now has a dedicated Leased Line service that covers every part of the site’s accommodation as well as the immediate surrounding area, ensuring that, despite their remote location, guests never have to compromise on connectivity.
Since its installation, Papple Steading’s had no downtime with BTnet, offering both the business and guests a completely uninterrupted network experience. Should any issues arise, BT Local Business Scotland are just round the corner to offer their expertise.
With everything in place from accommodation to internet access, Papple Steading were offered the opportunity to work with United Artists, a Hollywood film studio seeking a remote location in Scotland to begin post-production work on the film ‘Tar’, starring Cate Blanchett.
When searching for a location, the studio’s requirements included a quiet and comfortable site that also benefitted from a strong and reliable internet connection. Alternative options fell short, either failing to offer a peaceful location or suffering from poor connectivity with broadband that couldn’t support the 800Mbps speeds requested by the major post-production project. By opting for a leased line with BTnet, Papple Steading was able to offer both, providing the perfect location for a three-month project that culminated in the 2023 Golden Globe and BAFTA award winning film ‘Tar’. The post-production team created the film within the tranquil setting of Papple Steading, using BTnet to seamlessly transfer large video files across the Atlantic.
Papple Steading proactively identified that the cost of purchasing BTnet would be offset by its help in securing projects such as ‘Tar’, assisting the business in furthering its goals towards growth.
Papple Steading has bold ambitions for the future, not content with being limited to their current boundaries. Extensive plans include a 150-seat auditorium, restaurant and more. Papple Steading recognised the need to future-proof their business and accompanying technology, ensuring that they can grow at a rate that’s comfortable for their business, without technology limitations that might prevent their business from being viewed as a true competitor in the space.
With an expectation to upgrade their connectivity requirements as the business expands, BTnet is the ideal solution to scale up as the site grows. With feedback ranging from business people jumping on a video call without issue and film production crews effortlessly uploading large video files, to families on holiday commenting on their uninterrupted access to social media, BTnet’s Leased Line connection is providing a seamless experience that complements the luxurious surroundings of Papple Steading.
BTnet is an internet connection dedicated to your business, so you don’t need to fight for bandwidth with anyone else. That means you get fast, reliable speeds. Every single time.
Discover which plan is right for your business today.
BTnet is an internet connection dedicated to your business, so you don’t need to fight for bandwidth with anyone else. That means you get fast, reliable speeds. Every single time.
Discover which plan is right for your business today.
BTnet is an internet connection dedicated to your business, so you don’t need to fight for bandwidth with anyone else. That means you get fast, reliable speeds. Every single time.
Discover which plan is right for your business today.
BTnet is an internet connection dedicated to your business, so you don’t need to fight for bandwidth with anyone else. That means you get fast, reliable speeds. Every single time.
Discover which plan is right for your business today.
Heaps + Stacks wanted to see how the business could work online. But how can a company based solely around face-to-face events make the transition into the digital world?
When you answer over 700 calls an hour, you need phone lines that can keep up. Discover how ProPharma utilised BT Cloud Work to take the next step for their business.
With 11,000 orders shipped every week, Ransom Spares needed a broadband connection that wouldn’t fail. Thanks to BT Business broadband, their business is always online.
