A Bolton hotel owner has been fined £5,000 and ordered to pay £10,000 costs after pleading guilty to five breaches of the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005.

The prosecution of the owner of the Pack Horse hotel, Subhash Jajoo, followed a complaint about a blocked fire exit at the hotel in December 2008.

A follow-up inspection of the premises by Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service revealed a number of failings. These included defective fire doors, a defective call point, obstructions to the escape routes, defective emergency lighting units and fire extinguishers not being maintained properly.

Cllr Paul Shannon, vice chairman of Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Authority said: “We welcome the clear message from the courts that action will be taken against those businesses that neglect fire safety and thereby risk the public’s safety. The Fire Authority is focussed on helping businesses operate safely and taking action when they don’t.”

Speaking after the case, Dr Jajoo told the Bolton News: “I am not happy with the prosecution costs and I don’t think this should have come to court. The points raised were rectified in a matter of days and I did my best.”

Full Bolton News report