Fire safety work needed at Town Hall

The Town Hall, a grade 1 listed building which dates back to 1897, needs a “comprehensive review” of its fire strategy.

One concern is the reception rooms as the doors open inwards. These will eventually need to be re-hung so they open outwards if there is an emergency evacuation.

In a report, officers say: “Successive fire risk assessments have highlighted actions related to fire compartmentation, fire detection and alarms, emergency lighting and unprotected travel distances for occupants when egressing the building in an emergency evacuation.

“A comprehensive review of the fire strategy is required to determine the extent of remedial works required to minimise the risk to users of the building in the event of fire.

“In addition, there is an ongoing management plan in place to regulate the occupancy of Reception Rooms A and B. Both rooms have inward opening double doors, restricting occupancy to 60 persons each.

“By increasing the number of dedicated, trained staff to attend any activities taking place in these rooms occupancy is increased to 120 persons to each.

“These management actions can only be considered as short term mitigation. In the medium term, the doors to each room require to be re-hung to open in the direction of travel outwards in an emergency evacuation.”

A survey will now be done along with conservation specialists as it’s a listed building.