Fire at the White Hart hotel, Lewes.

[Freddie Goodwin.]

Dramatic headline maybe but it was pretty dramatic for me in there tonight.

They have an open fire (not lit) but either side they have a candle and infront of the candle, at very close proximity, are chairs. I sat, with a group of friends, only to notic3e it getting rather warm. I turned my head to look at the fire, thinking they must have not long put it out, before my son shouted at me to stand up and get my coat off.

The candle flame had melted the hood of my coat and flames had started. Another few seconds and my hair would have been alight.

What really annoyed me was the attitude of the hotel. The barmaid thought it funny, maybe she didn't realise the seriousness, and I had to ask her to call the Manager.

The Manager was at a meeting (about 8.30pm) and had to be called again, after I went to reception. He eventually came down and basically said the hotel was not liable, the candles were a 'feature' but he would contact the hotel owners who happened to be away on holiday.

There was little concern shown and I pointed out they had a duty of care. The coat itself is not expencive but was new and is ruined, no offer of compensation. The manager did not even go to the bar where the incident happened.

I have pictures of the coat and the area, any advice on what happens next, folks?

 

[Lord Bracknell]

Go back and burn the place down!

What on earth made you choose the White Hart?

 

[hitony]

Put everything in writing, detail absolutly everything, but it must be in writing, also send a copy to there head office / owners as well as the manager, and insist on being compensated, but don't put an amount let them make an offer, keep copies of all corespondance etc.

Good luck it does sound like you have beed treated very unfairly.

 

[Freddie Goodwin.]

WE called at this place at the end of a pub crawl and to use the end of the kitty and get out of the rain.

If I had been the manager, I would have come down quickly, made a fuss and sure that customer was ok and taken details with an offer of compensation. As it is, now I have little choice but to take this further which will cause extra cost and inconvenience to all concerned.

As a hotel, I take it they must make some sort of incident report and would this go towards their fire certificate?

 

[Bozza]

It's clearly not what you are looking to hear (read), but isn't this all your fault?

Surely you have a duty of care to make sure you don't set fire to yourself. Even at the end of a pub crawl when your judgement may be a tad impaired.

From what you've said, I'd be relieved that no serious harm was done, put it down to experience and move on.

 

[Billy the Fish]

Dramatic headline maybe but it was pretty dramatic for me in there tonight.

They have an open fire (not lit) but either side they have a candle and infront of the candle, at very close proximity, are chairs. I sat, with a group of friends, only to notic3e it getting rather warm. I turned my head to look at the fire, thinking they must have not long put it out, before my son shouted at me to stand up and get my coat off.

The candle flame had melted the hood of my coat and flames had started. Another few seconds and my hair would have been alight.

What really annoyed me was the attitude of the hotel. The barmaid thought it funny, maybe she didn't realise the seriousness, and I had to ask her to call the Manager.

The Manager was at a meeting (about 8.30pm) and had to be called again, after I went to reception. He eventually came down and basically said the hotel was not liable, the candles were a 'feature' but he would contact the hotel owners who happened to be away on holiday.

There was little concern shown and I pointed out they had a duty of care. The coat itself is not expencive but was new and is ruined, no offer of compensation. The manager did not even go to the bar where the incident happened.

I have pictures of the coat and the area, any advice on what happens next, folks?

Jesus christ I hate what is becoming of the world sometimes. Why do people look to blame a person or establishment after every single ACCIDENT?

You were stupid/pissed enough to set fire to yourself and you start bleating to the manager about compensation and duty of care. How about you take responsibility for you own actions rather than blaming some poor barmaid or bar manager.

Take it further Don't be an arsehole, and don't waste yours and everyone else's time, life's too shot for this trivial crap.

 

[Lady Gull]

Lol oh dear - that last post was funny - I tend to agree - thankfully your hair is not frizzy or worse - I'd leave it but if you do want to take it further - suggest your letter points out the danger of the placing of candles and suggesting they get a coat stand rather than have costs draped over the back of chairs - etc if you approach it from a health and safety stance they might be a bit more helpful.

Glad your ok though -

 

[hola gus]

Agree with last few posters. Placing your coat so close to a candle is your fault not theirs, Shirley?!

 

[surrey jim]

A simalar event occured at my girlfriends birthday around 5 years ago in a bar in town. A friend of ours was standing with his back to a candle which severly burnt his jacket (enough to ruin it) If memory serves me right he was later given a £500 cheque and as an appology a voucher for two to a meal at said bar.

 

[Tricky Dicky]

Don't want to sound too harsh, but you sat close to a lit candle, had a problem with it and it's someone else's fault ! Blimey, sometimes people need to take responsibility for their own actions.

 

[Gazwag]

Seriously, you admit to sitting in a chair right next to a candle and are surprised you burnt your coat, and then blame somebody else.

 

[Return of the Rev]

Could be the ghost of brian clough still setting things ablaze after all these years!

 

[TWOCHOICEStom]

It's clearly not what you are looking to hear (read), but isn't this all your fault?

Surely you have a duty of care to make sure you don't set fire to yourself. Even at the end of a pub crawl when your judgement may be a tad impaired.

From what you've said, I'd be relieved that no serious harm was done, put it down to experience and move on.

100% agree. It's a funny story to tell. You shouldn't have been so close to a candle. They're quite easy to spot after all...

 

[One Love]

I'm with the OP. You have a duty of care to make sure your establishment is safe.

Putting chairs near lighted candles in a place where alcohol is served and hence customers may be not at their most observant is asking for trouble.

Bit more delay in noticing the danger and you could have had a nasty injury there.

 

[Seagull over Canaryland]

Bit of shock for the OP but should also be a reminder to all to be more careful around naked flames, especially candles or tea lights which seem to be more prevalent at this time of the year.

Reminds me seeing a small child's synthetic Puffa type jacket go up in smoke in seconds (with child still wearing it) having been sat too close to a lit burner portable gas heater. Fortunately the punters reacted instantly so the child was unhurt but the jacket was a shrivelled mess. That was a couple of years ago in a well known trendy cafe only a couple of minutes walk from The White Hart. Must be a Lewes thing.

 

[Without Limits]

I'm with the OP. You have a duty of care to make sure your establishment is safe.

Putting chairs near lighted candles in a place where alcohol is served and hence customers may be not at their most observant is asking for trouble.

Bit more delay in noticing the danger and you could have had a nasty injury there.

I agree with this one. I was there luckily enough to put it out!

The chair was already placed with back to candle and he was still wearing jacket whilst sitting. What if it a child?

 

[Bozza]

I agree with this one. I was there luckily enough to put it out!

The chair was already placed with back to candle and he was still wearing jacket whilst sitting. What if it a child?

A child would be with a parent, guardian or similar. You'd expect any such responsible adult to notice the proximity of the chair to the candle and either...

- move the chair
- move the candle
- ask the proprietor to extinguish the candle

In fact they are exactly the same courses of action available to an adult sans child.

 

[Electrik Blue]

Get over It!!!!!

 

[Woodchip]

Stop being a "no-win no-fee" numpty and use your common sense to avoid an accident.

You sat near a naked flame, you set yourself on fire. Who's fault is that? Yours maybe?

 

[Brovion]

I'm with the OP. You have a duty of care to make sure your establishment is safe.

Putting chairs near lighted candles in a place where alcohol is served and hence customers may be not at their most observant is asking for trouble.

Bit more delay in noticing the danger and you could have had a nasty injury there.

Sadly your view is the way current thinking is these days, there's no room for 'reasonable' behaviour - as has been pointed out most people would have gone "Hmm, naked flame, best be careful". At best it's 'no fault' as any failing of the Duty of Care on behalf of the pub can be countered by the stupidity of the OP, but that isn't the way these events are perceived these days. It's like the branch of Mcdonalds who were prosecuted because the coffee was 'too hot'.

Probably best to ban candles altogether before someone gets hurt. Certainly if the pub is found to be at fault in any way you can bet they won't have any more candles on the premises for 'Health and Safety' reasons.