Duo of Sheffield businesses fined £4,000 for breaching fire safety regulations

Brightside Motors Ltd and Brightside Motors Repair Centre Ltd received the fines at a hearing held at Sheffield Magistrates’ Court on 31 July after the businesses, both of which are based at 90 Holywell Road in Sheffield, failed to comply with the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005.

Both companies have been ordered to pay a fine of £2,500, cover prosecution costs of £569 and also pay a victim’s surcharge of £1,000. That’s a total of £4,069 each. The case was proved in absence as no representatives from either company attended the hearing.

Business fire safety inspecting officers from the South Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service visited the site subsequent to a fire outbreak at the premises on 21 April 2023. An Enforcement Notice was then put in place after it was determined that the business had not been complying with a previously agreed fire safety plan.

The Enforcement Notice was also not followed, which triggered an additional investigation and a request for information and documentation relating to who is the designated ‘Responsible Person’ at the property.

No documentation or information was received, resulting in a court summons.

South Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service deputy chief fire officer Andy Strelczenie commented: “Fire safety is a core function of the South Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service. Our aim is always to work with businesses to ensure they can keep people safe, but that needs to be a two-way process.”

Strelczenie added: “In this case, we have had little to no engagement from those involved, despite multiple requests to improve fire standards and share key information with us. This has ultimately resulted in the fines being issued.”