27 November 2008
The owners of McDonald’s, Revolution nightclub and Frankie & Benny’s in the Xscape building in Milton Keynes were fined a total of nearly £14,000 at Milton Keynes Magistrates Court yesterday for breaching fire safety regulations.
The offences came to light during a late-night inspection by officers from Buckinghamshire & Milton Keynes Fire Authority in December 2006.
McDonald’s Restaurants Ltd, Inventive Leisure Ltd (who run Revolution Nightclub) and City Centre Restaurants Ltd (Frankie & Benny’s) pleaded guilty to a number of offences under the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005.
The District Judge fined McDonald’s £4,600 and ordered them to pay costs of £6,500. Inventive Leisure were fined £5,000 with costs of £4,000 and received a caution for a further offence. City Centre Restaurants were fined £4,350, and ordered to pay £6,500 costs.
All three were found to have obstructed fire exit routes. Inventive Leisure had blocked a fire exit, and McDonald’s and City Centre Restaurants also pleaded guilty to failing to co-operate in relation to fire safety matters.
Area Manager Chris Bailey, who brought the prosecution for Buckinghamshire & Milton Keynes Fire Authority, said: “I am delighted with the outcome of this prosecution. Not only will it focus the minds of the organisations that were convicted today on the issues of fire safety within their premises, but it also sends out a message to the owners and managers of all leisure-related premises.
“Breaches of this sort compromise the safety of staff and customers. We will continue to undertake unannounced fire safety audits of pubs, clubs and restaurants throughout the county as part of a campaign to improve public safety during the festive season.
“Our primary role is to educate commerce and industry in respect of fire safety matters. We will use enforcement action and ultimately prosecution as a last resort in extreme cases.”
The conviction of the three defendants in this case is the first that any of them have experienced in relation to fire-related legislation within the UK. Between them, they have over 1,600 premises nationwide.
Businesses who would like further details about their fire safety responsibilities, or people who have concerns about the fire safety of any industrial or commercial premises, should click this Fire Safety link.