Overview
1st Warley Scout Group is the largest Scout group in the Brentwood District of Essex, supporting more than 100 young people with the help of over 40 volunteer leaders and assistants.
After their headquarters, Eagle Hall, was destroyed by fire in 2015, the group successfully raised funds through grants, local support, and community generosity to rebuild the facility. The new Eagle Hall was completed in 2020 and designed to serve both the Scouts and the wider local community through long-term hire for charities and community groups.
The Challenge
As a newly built multi-purpose hall, Eagle Hall needed effective acoustic treatment to control reverberation and improve speech clarity for meetings, activities, and events.
Without treatment, excessive echo and poor sound balance can make halls uncomfortable to use, particularly for children’s activities, group sessions, and community events.
Our Solution
Following a free site survey, SRS Director Alex Docherty visited Eagle Hall to assess the space and provide a full acoustic report. This included:
- Reverberation time calculations
- Acoustic performance analysis
- Recommended treatment layout
- Predicted post-installation improvements
The proposed solution was the installation of:
- 40 x Sonata Aurio Class A rated acoustic panels
- Size: 1200 x 1200 x 50mm
- Installation method: Bonded directly to the ceiling
Sonata Aurio panels offer the best value for money and are the most practical solution for installaion beneath metal profiled ceilings/roofs.
Results
The treatment was predicted to reduce the mid-frequency reverberation time (Tmf) from:
- 3.1 seconds (before treatment)
- 1.2 seconds (after treatment)
This represented a significant improvement in acoustic comfort, speech intelligibility, and overall sound balance throughout the hall.
Once the quotation was accepted the Sonata Aurio panels were installed by SRS's professional installation team, with the work being completed in just over one day, minimising disruption to the use of the hall.
Client Feedback
“Just a note to say thanks for your company’s installation of the panels in our hall. The response from all of our leaders and other hirers has been overwhelmingly positive. I would definitely recommend you to anyone who asks. Thanks again.”
— Graham Gurnett, Scout Leader
Why It Matters
Scout huts, village halls, and community buildings often suffer from poor acoustics due to hard surfaces and open-plan spaces. Sonata acoustic absorption panels offer a practical, cost-effective way to reduce echo and create a more comfortable environment for everyone using the space.
Need Help With a Noisy Hall?
If your hall, community centre, or Scout hall has reverberation issues, SRS can help with expert advice, surveys, and tailored acoustic treatment solutions. SRS can be contacted in a number of ways including our mobile friendly 3 Step Estimator form by clicking here. Alternatively, you can send room dimensions and photographs by email or whatsapp and we'll get straight back to you.
