A hotel owner has been fined £50,000 for continuing to allow guests to check in to his East London hotel despite being issued with a prohibition notice for serious fire safety failings.
deficiency in fire safety
When inspectors from the London Fire Brigade (LFB) first visited The Bank Hotel in Barking in May 2018, they saw numerous examples of deficiencies in fire safety regulations that were enough to warrant a prohibition notice. Some of these included a lack of fire doors, no smoke detectors, and no fire alarm system.
Additionally, LFB inspectors discovered the hotel floor was in an “obvious state of refurbishment”, with cigarette butts found on the floor near a bed and on the windowsills.
Inspection results
Inspectors also noticed that no “obvious measures” of fire safety remediation had taken place
Further inspections conducted in the subsequent two months revealed the prohibition notice that had been affixed to the front door of the hotel had been removed, and there was evidence of guests still staying there. Inspectors also noticed that no “obvious measures” of fire safety remediation had taken place.
Eventually, a final visit in September 2018 saw inspectors remove the prohibition notice after they were satisfied that there were “sufficient fire safety measures in place.”
Lack of fire safety measures
Charlie Pugsley, Assistant Commissioner for the LFB, said, “When our inspectors visited this property, it wasn’t immediately obvious it was a hotel, particularly given the state of the first floor, but it was clear guests had been staying in the building."
“The lack of fire safety measures in place, coupled with the refurbishment work and numerous signs of cigarette butts, all could have been a recipe for disaster. The lack of a fire alarm and insufficient means of escape could have easily led to a fatality if there had been a fire in the premises.”
Guilty breach
Initially, the hotel owner, Naveed Mir, pleaded not guilty to being in breach of the prohibition notice and several fire safety laws.
However, on 13 October 2022, following a trial at Southwark Crown Court, he was found guilty of several breaches of The Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005, which applies to non-domestic premises, along with two breaches of the prohibition notice.
fire safety awareness
It’s vital for all business owners to be aware of their legal fire safety responsibilities"
“It’s vital for all business owners to be aware of their legal fire safety responsibilities,” Assistant Commissioner Pugsley added.
“There’s no excuse for leaving people’s safety to chance, especially when information is so readily available to those with responsibility for safety in buildings to understand what their duties are and ensure they comply with the law.”
Penalties charged
Here is a full list of penalties that Mir has been charged with:
- A lack of sufficient fire doors, numerous perforations between the first and second floors, and single means of escape neither safe nor effective due to potential hazards along the route (Article 8) – £4,000 fine plus a 6-month custodial sentence.
- A lack of appropriate fire detectors and alarms (Article 13) – £4,000 fine plus a 6-month custodial sentence.
- A lack of emergency evacuation plans (Article 15) – £4,000 fine plus a 6-month custodial sentence.
- Breach of prohibition notice (May/June; Article 31) – £14,000 fine plus a 12-month custodial sentence.
- Breach of prohibition notice (June/July; Article 31) – £14,000 fine plus a 12-month custodial sentence.
Mir has had all his custodial sentences suspended for two years. Additionally, the owner has been ordered to pay a victim surcharge of £170 and £10,000 in costs.