A hotel company has been ordered to pay £16,590 in fines and costs for breaching fire safety regulations and potentially putting lives at risk. Union and Western Hotels Ltd, the company that runs the Union Hotel in Penzance, has been fined after pleading guilty to failing to meet fire safety regulations. 

fire safety failings

It comes after a fire safety inspection, conducted in October 2020, saw officers from Cornwall Fire and Rescue Service (CFRS) uncover several fire safety failings:

  • The fire detection and warning system fell short of the standard expected in premises providing sleeping accommodation. 
  • Fire safety provisions and compartmentation had not been adequately maintained. 
  • The escape routes serving the sleeping accommodation were not adequately protected. 
  • The fire risk assessment was not suitable and sufficient. 

four offenses

The company was given a reduced fine of £12,000 and ordered to pay £4,400 in costs plus a victim surcharge of £190

Another investigation carried out by CFRS at a later date found that the hotel company had failed to rectify the fire safety failings observed in October. Consequently, the hotel company was served a restriction an enforcement notice.

Appearing before Plymouth Magistrates' Court, the company pleaded guilty to four offenses under the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005. It was given a reduced fine of £12,000 (instead of £18,000) and ordered to pay £4,400 in costs plus a victim surcharge of £190. 

Failure to rectify faulty alarm 

The District Judge declared that the fire safety failings, including failure to rectify the faulty fire alarm, “went on for some considerable time” and could have potentially caused significant harm to the residents staying there.

The portfolio holder responsible for CFRS at Cornwall Council, Councillor Martyn Alvey, said, "I'd like to thank the team who have worked hard to bring this prosecution. When people put others' lives at risk, we will not hesitate to take action and prosecute where necessary." 

fire risk assessment

CFRS has been reminding business owners of the importance of complying with the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005. In particular, businesses must have a “suitable and sufficient fire risk assessment and ensure that all fire safety provisions are adequate and regularly maintained.” 

Chief Fire Officer at CFRS, Kathryn Billing, said, "I urge all businesses to ensure they comply with fire regulations. These measures are in place to protect people and can ultimately save lives. It is not worth taking the risk."