Fire Safety in Village Halls

I am Manager at a grade II listed community hall in Birmingham and I have a query regarding fire safety during theatrical performances in the Main Hall. The Main Hall is 20m x 9m with capacity of the Main Hall is around 120 in close seating format. A regular Theatre Group have queried whether it is fire safety regulation to have the seats interlocking during performances. The Fire Inspector who came to inspect the Hall in November made no mention of this, so my query is whether this is a requirement? I look forward to hearing from you. Thank you very much. Kind Regards, Barbara

If you obey notices, you might get stuck here permanently opening and closing the door!

Please can we have some guidance on interpreting ADB - this is for a brand new village hall so we are using ADB Vol. 2 and specifically looking at tables 2.2 and 2.3. We have established and agreed with the architect that the capacity based upon 1m/person density is 165. So looking at table 2.2, we need at least 2 exit doorways. What we are struggling with is the widths. Reading Table 2.3, we need to deduct the largest doorway and use the remaining door width for the calculation. Does the remaining door width after we have discounted the largest then need to be no less than 1050mm as we have more than 110 but less than 220?? Please can anyone exp…

Hi there, I've seen a similar post further down in relation to double fire doors. Our Community Centre is a little different and hoping someone can help. We have a single main door which operates from a pushbar on the inside. On the outside there is a lock and handle which doesn't affect the use of the pushbar.. We believe that for some instances we should be able to lock the door from the inside to avoid anyone walking in, at the moment the only way of doing this is to open the door, lock it from the outside whilst still open and then close behind us. The pushbar can still be used as normal to exit and the door is locked behind you. …

We have a large wall hanging in our village hall. Embroidered by the WI 30 years ago. The Village hall hall is to be refurbished and we have been told that the wall hanging which is large, must be treated with a fire retardant and then it must be behind a fire proof screen - whatever that means, if it is to be allowed back in. Can anyone advise on this please. I would be most grateful. Thanks Ann

As part of a kitchen refit we have been asked to fit a second built in fridge in our Community Hall by the Nursery which is a regular hirer. Our preferred site is in a separate adjoining room, but the Nursery are insisting that it be fitted in the kitchen. In the first photo it would replace the existing freestanding unit beside the red bucket. We did have a dedicated cleaning cupboard, but that was requisitioned by a hirer as soon as it was built hence the clutter shown in the first image - but that is another story! The potential issue that we see is that the only place to fit the new unit means that when its door is opened it will open into the emergency exit r…

FRA has advised fitting a fire curtain in a kitchen of a village hall. Curently has a roller shutter. Is any one able to advise roughly the cost of each and which is best to use for a kitchen within a village hall, cooking only really for lunch clubs etc?

I need to fit a fire door to our boiler room which opens onto a main activity and seating area. Could you advise what fire rating, (mins), I should fit. the room contains two gas boilers.

Hi, Our village hall has main double doors with an internal push bar mechanism and key-operated external access. If the door is locked with a key and opened by the push bar from inside it will lock again when it closes. This is fine most of the time but occasionally the hall is accessed by another door and we want to be able to unlock the main door from inside without a key. Is there a product available that would do this? I'm imagining a set up with A push bar that ALWAYS unlocks door from inside Key to unlock from outside Internal thumb latch or similar that can unlock or lock door from inside (but that does not override the push bar me…

We rent a hall for club meetings for adults with a learning disability can you advise what we can ask the landlord to evidence re the building fire safety. Does he need a fire certificate for the building and evidence of the safe number of occupants etc. Also fire alarm requirements. Thanks.

Hi There is a country park nearby and the Parish council of which i am member is considering holding a summer fete. I have looked briefly at the Green Guide and also believe there is a purple book. For the site to be safe and fit for a large event which is our main concern 1. does the Fire authority give free advice regarding the number of exits and site capacity ? or 2. do we need a consultant and have to pay for such advice ? Cheers Derek