A pub that was criticised for a lack of working fire detection has now been reopened under a new landlord.
The Swan, in Leek, was shut down following an inspection by the Staffordshire Moorlands District Council.
The landlord was served an eviction notice by owners Punch Taverns after a dispute over rent and responsibilities for health and safety. Punch Taverns, which was then advised by the council to update fire safety measures in the building, closed the pub in the interim period.
The landlord told local press that he had withheld his monthly payments because vital safety works to the property had not been carried out by Punch Taverns. However, Punch said that the responsibility lay with the landlord, as stipulated by a contractual agreement.
“Servicing of firefighting equipment within the pub was the tenant’s responsibility”, a spokesman told info4fire, “as well as the testing of the fire alarm system, as set out clearly in the terms of their contractual lease agreement.”
Environmental health officers found tenants had continued to use faulty gas appliances that had been taken out of use and declared unsafe.
There did not appear to be any working fire detection or fire audible warning system, the council said, and risk was further increased by the fact that the premises contained a large function room. Also, the fire extinguishers were all at least two years out of service date.
The pub has since been re-opened and is being operated by the Anglo Pub Company.
However, Staffordshire Fire and Rescue Service, which was contacted about conditions at the property last week (29 March) has not yet inspected the premises.
A Punch Taverns spokesman said: “We await any further advice from the Staffordshire Fire Authority and will respond to an recommendations they have promptly.”
