"Burning Down the (Public) House" - The Risk of Pub Fires
Reflections of a Reluctant Pub Landlady
I recently attended a conference where one of the speakers remarked, “there’s nothing more flammable than a pub that can’t get a planning application.” The case of the Crooked House – Britain’s wonkiest pub springs to mind. Arson aside, pub fires are, unfortunately, quite common.
I was particularly saddened to hear about the Osborne View at Hill Head in Fareham, Hampshire, which was badly damaged by a fire back in February. This was one of my favourite haunts.
However, a quick Google search for ‘pub fires’ reveals plenty of other examples. When I owned pubs, the possibility of a fire breaking out, especially at night when guests were asleep, was a constant concern. Our fire alarm often went off, usually because a guest was smoking in their room, or somebody had burnt the toast. While we never experienced any major pub fires, we did have a couple of minor incidents.
Two Close Calls – Pub Fires
The first incident was caused by a cooker catching fire due to hot coals and grease buildup. The chef quickly tried to use a fire blanket, but it didn’t work. Horrified, I watched as the flames grew. I ran to my room, grabbed some towels, soaked them in water, and eventually managed to put the fire out. It was a sobering moment.
I later learned that counterfeit fire blankets occasionally make their way into the UK market. It’s possible ours was one of them, as it was within its date life, and we had inherited it when we took on the pub without knowing its provenance. I read about 400 counterfeit fire blankets being confiscated at Felixstowe, which confirmed that this does happen.
The second incident occurred at one of our other pubs when a fryer caught fire. This time, the chef managed to put it out immediately with a fire blanket. However, he didn’t inform me, and the kitchen operated without a blanket for a week. Oddly, he mentioned the incident during a fire marshal course we were both attending. Needless to say, I wasn’t impressed and he did know better than to keep that sort of information to himself.
We were vigilant with our fire checks, risk assessments, and cleaning of extraction fans. When a fire officer conducted an unannounced check on our business, they were impressed with our efforts. Despite this, a customer later reported on TripAdvisor that our pub was a ‘death trap’ because a cleaner had propped a fire door open with a fire extinguisher to move a linen bag. This just shows that even though you have risk assessments, processes etc, it is all down to the staff on the day, and the perceptions of the customers.
A friend, also a landlord, experienced a fire at his pub. It occurred in an outbuilding when a staff member left greasy tea towels on top of a tumble dryer, and they caught fire from the heat. Fortunately, no one was hurt but he had to repair the building which did sustain damage.
Changes to Fire Safety Legislation
If you own a pub or are responsible for health and safety in your business, are you aware that new fire safety laws came into force on 1st October 2023 and have you implemented your changes yet? Ensure you have a full fire risk assessment that meets the requirements of these changes, including Section 156 of the Building Safety Act (2022), among other measures.
Staying vigilant and prepared is crucial in preventing pub fires and ensuring the safety of your staff and guests. And please, check your fire blanket for dodgy spelling or poor British Standards trademarks – you don’t want to be a victim of a very dangerous counterfeit!
See my other reflections at pubdoctors.org/hospitality-blogs/
