Fire regulations will cost licensee thousands

An angry licensee has blasted fire service demands for new safety regulations that could end up costing him thousands of pounds.

Alan Piper, from the Sun Hotel in Coniston, Cumbria, said he received enforcement notices based on new safety rules which he had not been told about.

"I was absolutely steaming," he said. "If you are a hard pressed licensee, the last thing you need is an over officious fire officer."

The notices were issued by the Cumbria Fire and Rescue Service following a routine fire inspection at the pub last month.

Demands included the pub's letting rooms being fitted with fire sensors in addition to the main body of the pub, as part of a new government regulation that came into force in November.

Alan said this would require a rewiring operation costing up to £5,000 and could see many other licensees caught out because many were unaware of this new rule.

Another notice stated staff had not been trained properly because they were not taught how to use a fire extinguisher.

"We did not receive any notification about this new training. But the official just sat there saying the onus was on us to know about it."

The department has given Alan until the end of May to meet these requirements. If he fails he could be taken to court.

"It is an expensive job and not something you can do quickly."

"We could do it in January when we always close for refurbishment.

"The last thing I want to do in the middle of the season and the recession is to have to rip out my bedrooms."

A spokesman for Cumbria Fire and Rescue Service said: "Fire risk assessment guidance for hotel owners is freely available and devising an action plan is not the duty of the fire and rescue service, it is the owner of the establishment that needs to do so in order to comply with legislation - ignorance cannot be used as a defence."