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November 16, 2010

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Poundstretcher chain pays £55,000 for fire safety breaches

National discount chain Poundstretcher Limited has been fined £51,500 and ordered to pay £3,450 costs at Leeds crown court for seven offences under the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005.

The offences at Poundstretcher’s Castleford store in West Yorkshire included a failure to take adequate fire precautions for its employees and other relevant people, a failure to review its fire risk assessment, emergency routes and exits blocked, and inadequate staff training.

The firm had previously pleaded guilty to the charges at Pontefract magistrates court.

Craig McIntosh, West Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service’s director of fire safety, said the prosecution followed breaches of fire safety legislation at other Poundstretcher locations.

“This is the third time a prosecution has been brought in West Yorkshire,” he said. “The severity of the fines imposed by the court show that companies cannot continue to treat public and staff safety with contempt. The fines are intended to make Poundstretcher take its obligations seriously in the future.”

In July 2009 Poundstretcher was fined £12,000 and ordered to pay £2,460 costs at Halifax magistrates court. And in October last year the company was fined £8,500 and ordered to pay £2,461 costs at Wakefield magistrates court.

This story was originally published on our sister website Info4fire.com

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Chris
Chris
8 years ago

Hi I have read the article on poundstrecher
In early 2013 I had a serious accident in there store
When an partion wall move and the over head stock
It on the head and neck
To witch I’ve under gone operation and undergoing reabulatation at hospital

I would like to know who look after the public
They ave treated me with no compassion
Refusing to help in anyway for me to get over the acciedent?
My lawyer and the courts in regards interim payment s