A “cynical” hotel owner put his guests at risk of dying by fire by failing to tackle a litany of safety failings.
William Scott Anthony Hanson, proprietor of the Main Top Hotel on Mersey Road in West Bank, Widnes, faced justice at Liverpool Crown Court on Thursday after pleading guilty to nine breaches of fire regulations. Cheshire Fire Authority, which brought the prosecution, said the hotel had 10 guestrooms, a kitchenette, laundry and boiler room.
But, a CFA spokeswoman said, the Main Top had no working fire alarm, fire doors were missing, emergency lighting wasn’t properly maintained, combustible materials were stored in escape routes, and there were no fire doors separating the kitchen from bedrooms.
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In addition, fire compartmentalisation was “inadequate”, fire extinguishers were not maintained, there was no emergency plan for guests and the Main Top had not completed a fire risk assessment.
Warren Spencer, prosecuting, told the court Cheshire Fire and Rescue Service (CFRS) officers initially found serious deficiencies and breaches of Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 (FSO) laws during an inspection on June 27, 2019, at which time some of the guest bedrooms were rented out and occupied.
Inspecting officers immediately served Hanson, 42, with a prohibition notice banning the Main Top from being used as accommodation. A schedule of works set out how the hotel needed to be made safe, but follow-up visits revealed the hotelier wasn’t complying with the notice.
On August 20 2020, fire inspectors found four guests staying at the Main Top, in breach of the notice.
Sentencing, Judge Garrett Byrne said Hanson, of Cooper Street, Widnes, put “profit before safety” and left customers at risk of serious injury or death. He described Hanson’s failure to comply with the prohibition notice as “cynical” and “flagrant”.
Hanson was sentenced to 12 months in prison, suspended for two years for breaking fire safety laws. He was also ordered to pay £5,000 in costs, complete 35 days of rehabilitation and 80 hours of unpaid work.
Following Hanson's sentencing, Lee Shears, CFRS’s head of prevention and protection, said: "Fire safety is a key part of good business management and Mr Hanson showed little or no regard for the safety of the guests sleeping at the Main Top Hotel.
“This was compounded by the fact that he ignored the prohibition notice and failed to take our advice to make the premises safer. We always aim to help and support any business to operate safely, however this case shows that we will take action when fire safety responsibilities are not taken seriously."
Businesses can find out more on fire safety regulations online at cheshirefire.gov.uk
