Wirral nightclub boss in fire safety breach

May 10 2008 by Vicky Anderson, Liverpool Daily Post

THE manager of a Wirral nightclub must pay £4,000 after admitting two breaches of fire safety law.

Birkenhead Magistrates Court ordered Lee Owen, of Wallasey, to pay £2,000 in fines and £2,000 in costs after he failed to get work done to the Hotel California in New Chester Road, Birkenhead.

In a prosecution brought by Merseyside Fire and Rescue Service, the court heard how an enforcement notice to install a fire escape had been served following a fire at the club in January last year.

The work required was not completed until recently and not within the time allowed.

Dermot Greene, Wirral district fire safety manager, said: “Thankfully, it is rare for us to have to take anyone to court when fire safety works are required.

“We had given a number of extensions to the completion timescale here and the work was only done after we had made it clear that we would use our enforcement powers.”