Pub landlord prosecuted for ten breaches of fire safety legislation

David Price
Member - 80 posts

Graham, most small business owners either can't afford to get a contractor in, or they think it will never happen to them, this case I feel falls into the latter.

Mike Kane
Member - 20 posts

As a licensed premises the responsible person has a duty to ensure that a written fire risk assessment is undertaken to satisfy the requirements of the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005, irrespective of the numbers employed there.

Had a competent assessment been undertaken, it is likely that the breaches mentioned in this case would have figured in the findings along with professional advice on how to remedy them.

As for the cost of a professional assessment, most average pub inspections and reports work out about the same as a few nights hotel accommodation !!

Mike Kane
fireuk@msn.com

Iain Sanderson
Member - 30 posts

There is no requirement to have a third party caeey out the fire risk assessment and for simple premises the guidance provded by both Westminster and Holyrood is reasonably straight forward to use so long as it is approached honestly and in a manner not mainly designed to avoid cost.

David Price
Member - 80 posts

Mike, I guess at the end of the day it depends on what Hotel you like to stay in, be it the Ritz or the Dog & Duck?

Mike Kane
Member - 20 posts

David, it's somewhere in between............... But seriously, (although there are variations dependent upon local factors) if a landlord in an average pub is being asked to pay more than, say, £200 for a full professional assessment, then they're possibly being taken for a ride. Unfortunately there are those out there who are on this band wagon and who are basically creaming it from small businesses who are not sure what to do. In the case of "self assessments" I would be very cautious where a business was offering sleeping accomodation as we all know the extra problems this can present.

Best wishes

Mike Kane
fireuk@msn.com