Fire risk assessments in Beccles

Beccles is a short drive north of Steve’s base at Spexhall. Its old town centre, its riverside quay and the industrial estate at Ellough each raise different fire safety questions.

Fire risk assessments in Beccles

Beccles is a market town on the River Waveney, at the southern edge of the Broads. The Friday market is held in New Market, independent shops line the lanes around it, boats moor at the quay, and the industrial estate at Ellough stands on the site of a Second World War airfield. Whatever your premises, the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 says the responsible person needs a suitable and sufficient fire risk assessment, recorded in full since 1 October 2023.

Fire is part of the town’s history. In November 1586 a fire destroyed the roof and interior of St Michael’s Church, and the town museum records 80 houses lost. Later fires in the 1600s destroyed much of the rest of the old town.

Steve Milligan spent 26 years with the fire service, retiring as a Watch Manager in 2021, and is now an NFRAR Advanced Level fire risk assessor. He visits your premises himself, writes the report himself and answers your questions afterwards.

Premises Steve assesses in Beccles

• Shops with flats above around New Market and Exchange Square, where the people upstairs need a way out that is protected from the shop
• Pubs, cafés and restaurants in the old town and near the river, often with kitchens fitted into older buildings
• Boatyards and riverside businesses along the Waveney, where workshops may store fuel, paint, resins and gas bottles
• Holiday lets and guest accommodation for visitors who use Beccles as a base for exploring the Broads
• Factories, warehouses and trade units on the Ellough industrial estate, with stock, machinery and sometimes more than one business under one roof
• Venues and halls that host shows, concerts and gigs, where the layout changes from one event to the next and the audience doesn’t know the building

Many town centre buildings that look Georgian from the street are older timber-framed buildings with a later brick front, and many back onto narrow yards and lanes. Steve checks roof spaces, ceilings and party walls where fire and smoke could travel unseen, and whether every escape route leads somewhere safe rather than into an enclosed yard.

Who enforces fire safety in Beccles

Suffolk Fire and Rescue Service enforces the Fire Safety Order in Beccles. Its Protection Officers inspect premises, can ask to see your fire safety records and can issue alterations, enforcement or prohibition notices. Its fire safety regulations page sets out the responsible person’s duties and how to contact its Fire Business Support team.

Beccles is in the East Suffolk Council area. The council’s Private Sector Housing Team licenses larger houses in multiple occupation, including those above shops, and deals with housing standards, including fire safety, in privately rented homes.

What you get

• A visit by Steve and an electronic written report with an overall risk level
• An action plan graded High, Medium and Low, plus a For Information section of advisory points
• The full findings and the assessor’s details recorded, as the law requires
• Free follow-up advice by phone or email while you work through the actions

Fire risk assessments start at £250, with a fixed quote before you book and nothing to pay until your report is ready. See all services and prices, or read what affects the price.

Training for teams in Beccles

Fire warden training runs at your premises for up to 12 people for £400, with a certificate valid for 3 years. Fire safety awareness training raises your staff’s awareness of how fires start, how to prevent them and what to do if one breaks out, from £120.

Questions from Beccles

My shop looks Georgian. Why check the roof space?

Because the front may be younger than the building behind it. In Beccles a brick front often hides an older timber frame, and gaps in old walls, floors and roof spaces can let fire and smoke spread between rooms or into the building next door. Steve checks the areas he can reach without opening up the structure.

Does the fire service inspect holiday lets?

It can. Suffolk Fire and Rescue Service says self-catering holiday lets are covered by the Fire Safety Order and that it will carry out fire safety inspections of holiday let premises. If you let a cottage or flat to visitors coming for the river, read fire safety for holiday lets.

We share a unit at Ellough with another firm. Who does the assessment?

Anyone with control over part of a building is a responsible person for that part, and the law expects responsible persons in a shared building to cooperate and share information. Steve can assess your area and flag what you need to agree with your neighbours or landlord, such as the fire alarm, escape routes and evacuation plan.

Related reading: Fire safety in flats and HMOs: what landlords must do and How many fire wardens do you need?