Wirral Nightclub Fined £4000

01/06/2008

The manager of a Wirral nightclub must pay £4000 after he admitted two breaches of fire safety law under the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005.

Birkenhead Magistrates Court ordered Lee Owen of Wallasey to pay £2000 each in fines and costs after he failed to get works done to the Hotel California in New Chester Road in Birkenhead.

In a prosecution brought by Merseyside Fire and Rescue Service, the court heard how an Enforcement Notice had been served following a fire at the club in January last year. The works it required to be done were not completed until recently and not within the time allowed by the Service.

Prosecuting, Chris Green, a partner at city firm Weightmans, said that an audit had identified fire safety failings and that the manager was given ample opportunity and additional time to carry out the work needed to comply.

Dermot Greene Wirral District Fire Safety Manager said:

"Thankfully it is rare for us to have to take anyone to court when fire safety works are required. We had given a number of extensions to the completion timescale here and the work was only done after we had made it clear that we would use our enforcement powers."