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Punch Taverns, which runs more than 8,000 pubs and bars in the UK, has been fined more than £27,000 after one of its establishments was found to have breached fire safety regulations.

The case – brought by the London Fire Brigade – centred on the Milestone pub in east London. Officers visiting the Mile End premises in 2008 uncovered numerous violations of the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order, including:

• Insufficient fire-fighting equipment
• No emergency plan
• No fire risk assessment

The tenant of the Punch-owned pub was ordered to make improvements to fire safety measures through an enforcement notice, but the work was not completed. The tenant has since vacated the premises, meaning that Punch Taverns will have to pay an £8,500 fine and pay court costs of £18,500.

This is believed to be Punch Taverns first fire regulation breach, as the company is reportedly committed to promoting the proper fire training for licensees. A Punch spokesperson said:

“Our BIIBAS-accredited Code of Practice clearly outlines our commitments and we play an active role in ensuring that our licensees understand their own obligations regarding operating safe, legal and compliant businesses.”