ELECTRONIC LOCKS

We have just had new doors fitted at the local cinema. The old ones were rotten at the bottom, and the back door was built for dwarves. Banging your head against a door frame is a powerful incentive for change, I have learned.

Under the old system, all of the volunteers had a key. This had a number of problems, including keeping a record of who had keys, and the gradual erosion of accuracy as copies were made of copies. As part of the review of our insurance arrangements, we were encouraged to order a new door with an electronic locking system.

Fine in theory, but not so fine in practice. The local firm who made the door didn't know how to work out the coding; not did the firm who installed it, despite their talking to the factory. So it was left to muggins me to sort it out. Fortunately, I succeeded; though it took me two hours of running around in temperatures of minus nine celsius before I could work out the various codes and programmes, making sure that it really did lock when I thought it did, and that the alarm didn't go off unexpectedly.

I think we are there now, so I am feeling pretty pleased with myself. All I need to do now is get 40 volunteers to learn how to use it.

Walter Blotscher