Punch fined over fire safety breaches

Punch Taverns has been ordered to pay £27,481 in fines and costs after pleading guilty to serious breaches of fire safety legislation at a London pub.

The London Fire Brigade visited the Milestone Public House on Mile End Road, E3 on 7 July 2008 and found a number of fire safety failings including inadequate maintenance of fire alarms and emergency lighting and the first floor being used for multiple occupancy.

Punch's tenant at the time had undertaken to rectify the situation but works were not complete by the time officers returned on 14 November.

The tenant has since left the pub, leaving Punch to pick up the bill.

Punch admitted seven offences at the Milestone Public House on Mile End Road, E3 and was fined £8,500 for the breaches, with £18,981 in costs.

"London Fire Brigade will continue to take action when businesses, large or small, do not take their fire safety responsibilities seriously," said assistant commissioner for fire safety regulation Steve Turek.

"Failure to comply with the law can, as this case has shown, result in a prosecution."

Punch stressed its tenant at the time had agreed to undertake the necessary works.

"Punch Taverns has an excellent safety record across its estate and remains committed to ensuring that all of our pub businesses are safe and fully compliant," said a Punch spokeswoman.

"Our BIIBAS accredited Code of Practice clearly outlines our commitments and we play an active role in ensuring that our licensees understand their own obligations regarding operating safe, legal and compliant businesses.

"Punch Taverns was only fined a total of £8500 for these offences which arose in 2008 and the Judge commented on Punch's excellent safety record and highlighted that the Company's current compliance systems are 'impressive'.

"It is regrettable on this occasion that the fire safety works, which our Partner had previously agreed to undertake but failed to deliver, meant that the works which were already in progress, missed the deadline for completion of works by just two days."