Pub Fire Safety Checks in 2026

Last updated: 11 April 2026

Most pub landlords think fire safety is something that happens once a year when the inspector visits. It’s not. Fire safety is a continuous legal obligation that sits at the heart of your duty of care — and getting it wrong can close your pub permanently, regardless of how good your profit margins are.

If you’re running a pub in the UK, you’re legally responsible for identifying fire hazards, managing the risks they pose, and proving you’ve done so. This isn’t optional. Under the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005, you’re the Responsible Person — and that means you own the compliance process, whether you do it yourself or delegate it to staff.

I’ve managed fire safety at Teal Farm Pub in Washington, Tyne & Wear across wet sales, dry sales, quiz nights, and high-volume match days. What I’ve learned is that proper fire safety checks don’t slow your business down — they protect it. The cost of getting it right is minimal compared to the cost of an incident, a prosecution, or worse.

This guide covers exactly what you need to check, how often, and what happens if you don’t. You’ll also learn how to document your compliance in a way that holds up if the Fire Safety Inspector visits.

The reason this matters now, in 2026, is that enforcement has tightened. Local authorities are actively auditing compliance records, and insurers are now asking for evidence of regular fire safety assessments before they’ll renew your policy.

Your Legal Duty as a Pub Landlord

You are the Responsible Person for fire safety in your pub, and that status doesn’t change if you’re a leaseholder, a tenancy operator, or a manager acting on behalf of an owner. The law is clear: whoever has control of the premises and the decision-making authority is accountable. You cannot pass this responsibility entirely to an external contractor or your insurance company — although you can and should involve them in the process.

Your legal framework comes from two places. First, the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005, which requires you to carry out a fire risk assessment and keep it up to date. Second, the Health and Safety Executive’s guidance on fire risk assessment, which outlines the practical steps you need to take.

If you’re a tied pub tenant, your pubco may provide a template fire risk assessment or mandate certain procedures, but that doesn’t absolve you of responsibility. You still need to ensure those procedures are being followed in your premises. If you’re unsure about your obligations under your lease, refer to your pub lease negotiation documentation and contact your pubco’s compliance team in writing.

The penalties for non-compliance are serious. A breach of the Fire Safety Order can result in fines up to £20,000, enforcement notices that can force closure, or prosecution leading to unlimited fines and imprisonment. More immediately, if there’s a fire and it’s discovered you haven’t done basic safety checks, your insurance will refuse to pay out — and you’ll be liable personally.

Fire Safety Checks You Must Perform

A proper fire safety compliance program for a pub involves checks at three levels: daily visual checks, monthly documented inspections, and an annual full fire risk assessment carried out by a competent person.

Daily Visual Checks (No Documentation Required)

These are quick checks that any staff member can do as part of opening or closing procedures:

• Check that emergency exits are clear, unlocked (from the inside), and not blocked by furniture, stock, or debris
• Check that emergency exit signage is visible and illuminated (if it’s lit signage)
• Check that fire extinguishers are visible, accessible, and not damaged or missing
• Check that fire doors (any self-closing doors with fire safety labels) are not wedged open
• Check that the area around the electrics cupboard, boiler, or gas equipment is clear

If you spot an issue during a daily check, fix it immediately or note it for action. Don’t wait for the monthly inspection.

Monthly Documented Inspections (Must Be Recorded)

The most important fire safety compliance step you can take is keeping a written Fire Safety Log. This is a simple record — digital or paper — that documents everything you’ve checked each month. At Teal Farm Pub, we use a straightforward checklist form that takes 30 minutes to complete once a month. It covers:

• Emergency exit routes — are they clear, illuminated, and unobstructed?
• Fire extinguishers — count, location, inspection tags current (should be tagged by a professional annually)
• Fire alarm system — test the alarm (press the test button) and record the date and time
• Emergency lighting — check that emergency lights activate and illuminate exit routes
• Fire doors — check they close properly and seals are intact
• Electrical equipment — check for obvious damage, overloaded sockets, or trailing cables

If you identify a fault, you must record what the fault was, the date you found it, and what action you took to fix it. If a problem can’t be fixed immediately (for example, a faulty fire door that needs replacement), you must document the interim control measure — such as keeping the area clear or stationing staff to manage access — until it’s repaired.

Annual Fire Extinguisher Maintenance

Fire extinguishers must be inspected and serviced by a BAFE-certified fire safety engineer at least once per year. You’ll receive a metal tag attached to the extinguisher confirming the service date. Keep these tags on the extinguishers and keep the service certificates as proof of compliance. The cost is typically £15–£25 per extinguisher per year.

Monthly and Quarterly Procedures

Beyond the simple monthly checklist, there are deeper inspections you should perform quarterly — every three months — to catch developing issues:

Quarterly Deep Inspection Checklist

• Electrical systems: Check plug sockets for scorching, loose outlets, or signs of overheating. Inspect cables for damage, particularly in high-traffic areas like the bar.
• Kitchen and cooking equipment: Check that extractor fans are clear of grease buildup, that gas connections are secure, and that cooking equipment is clean and functioning (grease fires are the most common fire hazard in pubs)
• Combustible materials: Check that flammable stock (cleaning products, cardboard boxes, spirits in high-proof bottles) is stored safely away from ignition sources and heat
• Escape route maintenance: Check that stairs are clear, handrails are secure, and there are no trip hazards or obstacles in corridors
• Staff knowledge: Spot-check that staff know where the fire alarm is, how to operate it, and where the nearest emergency exit is from their position

Record these quarterly checks in the same Fire Safety Log. This creates a rolling document that demonstrates ongoing compliance — exactly what an inspector wants to see.

Annual Fire Safety Assessment

Once per year, you must commission a professional fire risk assessment from a competent person — usually a qualified fire safety consultant or your local fire service (many offer free assessments). This is not optional if you have more than five employees on the premises at any time, and it’s best practice for all pubs.

A professional assessment covers:

• The building layout and identification of fire hazards specific to your pub (electrical, gas, cooking, decorations, upholstery, etc.)
• Who is at risk — staff, customers, delivery drivers, contractors
• How the risks are currently controlled — by what systems and procedures
• Recommendations for improvement or additional controls
• A priority rating for each recommendation (immediate action, short-term, or ongoing)

The assessment produces a written Fire Risk Assessment document, which becomes your legal record. You must keep this for at least five years and update it whenever the premises changes significantly — for example, if you knock through a wall, add a new seating area, install a new kitchen, or significantly increase customer capacity.

The cost of a professional fire risk assessment is typically £300–£600 for a small to medium pub, depending on the consultant and your location. Many local fire services offer free assessments as part of their community outreach, so it’s worth asking your local station if they provide this service.

After receiving the assessment, you have a legal obligation to address the recommendations. You don’t have to fix everything immediately, but you must have a documented plan showing what you’ll do, when you’ll do it, and why you’ve prioritised it that way. A high-risk issue — like a blocked fire escape — must be dealt with immediately. A medium-priority issue — like improving emergency lighting — should have a completion date within three months.

Emergency Procedures and Staff Training

Fire safety isn’t just about equipment and building maintenance. It’s also about people knowing what to do if there’s a fire.

Fire Safety Induction and Training

Every member of staff must receive a fire safety induction when they start work. This should cover:

• The location of all emergency exits and the assembly point (the outdoor area where everyone gathers after evacuation)
• How to raise the alarm — where the fire alarm is and how to activate it
• The evacuation procedure — who is responsible for checking each area, who assists vulnerable customers, how you account for everyone
• Where fire extinguishers are and that staff should not attempt to fight a fire unless they’re trained and the exit is clear
• Your pub’s specific hazards — for example, if you have a kitchen, staff need to understand cooking fire risks

You must keep a signed record of every staff member’s induction and provide refresher training annually. This training record is critical; if the Fire Safety Inspector visits and finds untrained staff, that’s an immediate breach. Consider incorporating fire safety into your pub onboarding training checklist so it’s done systematically for every new hire.

Evacuation Drills

You should conduct a full evacuation drill at least once per year. This means activating the fire alarm, having everyone leave the building via the emergency exits, and checking that everyone reaches the assembly point. Record the date, time, duration, and any issues discovered during the drill. If a drill reveals problems — such as a door being too heavy to open quickly, or staff not knowing where to go — you must address those issues and repeat the drill once they’re fixed.

Drills are awkward to run and staff often treat them as a joke, but they’re one of the most important parts of your fire safety program. A drill identifies real problems that might not emerge until there’s an actual fire.

Common Compliance Failures

In my 15 years running pubs, I’ve seen the same fire safety mistakes made repeatedly. Here are the ones that trigger Fire Safety Inspector visits:

No Written Fire Safety Log

This is the most common failure. You do the checks, but you don’t write them down. From a legal perspective, if you can’t prove you did it, you didn’t do it. An Inspector will ask to see your Fire Safety Log. If it doesn’t exist or is blank for months, that’s a breach. Start one today — even if you’re several months behind, backfill it with what you remember, and commit to filling it in monthly from now on.

Fire Extinguishers Not Serviced

Fire extinguishers must be professionally serviced annually. The tag on the extinguisher shows the date of the last service. If it’s out of date or missing, that’s non-compliance. Set a phone reminder to book the service every 12 months.

Emergency Exits Blocked or Locked

Never lock an emergency exit from the inside, and never store stock or equipment in front of one. This is immediate grounds for enforcement action. If a fire starts and people can’t get out, you’re liable. Check exits daily.

No Staff Training Records

If an Inspector asks a random member of staff where the fire alarm is and they don’t know, that’s a serious problem. More seriously, if you have no signed record of their fire safety induction, you’re in breach. Document training in writing and keep the records for at least three years.

Outdated Fire Risk Assessment

If your assessment is more than 12 months old, or if your premises has changed significantly since the last assessment, you’re in breach. The assessment needs to reflect the current state of the building and operations.

Electrical Overloading

This is a slow-burn hazard that causes fires months or years after it starts. Multi-gang extension leads plugged into other extension leads, too many appliances on one socket, or cables running under carpets — these are all fire risks. Do a proper electrical audit and consider hiring a qualified electrician if you’re unsure.

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