A landlord has been handed a suspended prison sentence after a pub failed to meet fire safety regulations.
The Dusthole, also known as the Kings Arms, in Shepton Mallet was found to have serious deficiencies by investigators, including faulty warning systems and blocked fire exits.
Anthony Cockayne was handed an eight month sentence, suspended for two years, and ordered to pay £2,000 in costs and a £140 victim surcharge after admitting four offences.
The Dusthole Co Ltd, of which Mr Cockayne is the sole director, has been fined £30,000 and ordered to pay £5,000 in costs.
An investigation by Dorset and Somerset Fire and Investigation Service found that the fire detection and warning systems fell 'far short' of the standard expected in a property that provides sleeping accommodation.
The property was banned from offering sleeping accommodation until adequate fire safety measures are put in place.
The service found that Cockayne had made several changes to the property, but had 'failed to review fire safety provisions' in light of the alterations.
The inspection revealed:
• The fire detection and warning system fell far short of the standard expected in a premises providing sleeping accommodation
• On two separate occasions, officers found the fire detection and warning system inoperative as the fuse had been removed
• The escape routes serving the sleeping accommodation were not adequately protected by fire resisting construction
• An original staircase had been sealed removing an alternative escape route from the first floor
• There was a lack of emergency escape lighting
• Self-closing devices had been disconnected from fire doors
Summing up the case at Bristol Crown Court on Monday (July 30) His Honour Judge Townsend said: "There was a disregard (for fire safety) over a long period of time.
"No effort was made to apply the standards and you must have realised this when you converted the bedrooms."
The Dusthole is advertised as a restaurant and hotel, as well as a pub.
Business Safety Manager Paul Bray said, “It is important to stress that the vast majority of hotels and guest houses in Devon and Somerset comply with the necessary requirements of the Fire Safety Order to ensure that their premises are safe.”
Mr Bray said: “The service takes the safety of people that live, work and visit Devon and Somerset very seriously.
"Where companies fail to carry out their duties and those failures put lives at risk they will take all necessary action to ensure the matters are dealt with appropriately.
"The service only takes legal action in the courts where it identifies failures so serious that there has been a significant risk to people’s safety.”
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