One of Devon's most successful hospitality businesses faces a fine of hundreds of thousands of pounds for health and safety failings at one of its luxury hotels.
Percy R Brend & Sons (Hoteliers), which trades as Brend Hotels, put the safety and welfare of its employees at risk when it carried out work on The Park Hotel in Barnstaple.
The company, which owns 11 hotels in Devon and Cornwall and had a turnover of £38million in 2018, pleaded guilty to two breaches of the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 during a hearing at Exeter Magistrates' Court.
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The charges relate to the exposure of employees and non-employees to risks through asbestos.
The company was represented in court by Richard and Max Brend and John Knapman. Mr Adam Vaitilingam QC entered guilty pleas on behalf of the firm to two offences.
Between October 1, 2016 and May 22, 2017 the employer failed in its duty to ensure the health, safety and welfare at work of its employees. It failed in relation to the management and renovation of hotel accommodation at The Park Hotel, and the planning management and monitoring of that work to ensure they were not exposed to risks associated with exposure to asbestos containing materials.
Between the same dates the company failed to ensure those not in its employment were not exposed to risks to their health and safety.
District Judge Jo Matson said she would need time to assess the details of the case before sentencing. She would also need access to the company's accounts. It was said in court the company has enjoyed annual turnovers of more than £30m in each of the last three years. The profit figure for 2018 was £450,000 and £585,000 the year before.
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The judge said there was nothing she could see in the case which made her think it was suitable for the crown court. She adjourned the case for sentence.
Mr Guy Gosheron, for the Health and Safety Executive, which brought the prosecution, said the court had the power to impose an unlimited fine but the HSE would be seeking something in the region of £450,000 before credit for pleas.
The company will be sentenced at Newton Abbot Magistrates' Court on March 27.
In 2018 the company came in at number 12 in a list of Devon's biggest businesses. According to the company's website the family-run firm can trace its history back to 1955. It has steadily built a portfolio of three and four-star hotels in Devon and Cornwall including Saunton Sands Hotel in North Devon and The Devon Hotel in Exeter.
