Harborough District Council | A pub company has been fined £240,000 following the death of a woman who visited one of its pubs on 14 May 2023.
Julie Hyatt, 57, died from her injuries in hospital on 26 May 2023, after falling down some stairs at The Langton Arms in Church Langton.
Mrs Hyatt fell into a basement cellar through a door which should have been locked.
Harborough District Council has successfully prosecuted Redcat Retail Pubs Ltd, the pub company which owns The Langton Arms, for failing to comply with health and safety legislation.
After an extensive investigation the council concluded that the business had not assessed the risk to the health and safety of its employees or members of the public. There was no risk assessment in place to cover the access into the basement cellar.
Redcat Retail Pubs Ltd pleaded guilty to one count of breaching section 3(1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974 and were ordered to pay £240,000, with a victim surcharge of £2,000 and £43,633.06 in legal costs.
The council has a duty to ensure that licensed premises comply with statutory requirements and can take appropriate enforcement action if required.