Staff from Northumberland Fire and Rescue Service’s (NFRS) Fire Safety Team carried out a routine fire service audit on premises known as the China Cook, in Waterloo Road.
Following the visit, a Prohibition Notice was served on November 26, 2021, preventing the use of upper floors for sleeping. It was issued as sleeping materials including beds and bedding were discovered on the first floor.
Breach of a Prohibition Notice
A follow-up visit on 10 December 2021, revealed a breach of the Notice, as NFRS discovered a person in bed asleep on the prohibited first floor. A representative of the company trading as the China Cook attended Newcastle Magistrates Court on 28 April 2022, and pleaded guilty to the breach of a Prohibition Notice served by the Fire Safety Team. A financial penalty of £3,418 was imposed.
NFRS Group Manager for Protection, Richard Leighton said: “The means of escape from the first floor and loft area within the premises were inadequate in the event of a fire on the premises. If there was a fire, this would prevent people escaping safely. During our follow-up visit reviewing sleeping within the premises, we discovered three beds on the first floor and one within the loft area. This left us with no option but to take the case to court.”