29/09/2026
🔥 A slightly different behind-the-scenes at The Riverside today…
Today we welcomed an officer from Cornwall Fire & Rescue Service for a thorough fire safety inspection.
And when we say thorough, we mean thorough. Documents and records checked, a full walk-through of the building, conversations about our procedures and plenty of challenging questions.
And that's exactly how it should be.
Why are you trained to carry out PAT testing in-house?
Because with the rise in cheap chargers and electrical devices arriving with guests, we don't want to wait for an annual inspection if something concerns us. We can test it there and then.
Why have you moved away from foam extinguishers in guest corridors?
Because risks change. Lithium battery products are increasingly part of everyday life, and in an emergency we don't expect a guest to stand reading extinguisher labels deciding which one to use. We've invested in All Fires extinguishers instead.
For those in hospitality who know the detail, today's inspection really did get into it: door brush strips, three hinges, thumb turns, closers, compartmentation, evacuation records and timings – even the millimetres around doors and rather fancy new concealed bottom door closers got some attention!
We came away from today's visit pleased that the work we put into our responsibilities every day showed through.
You may sometimes pay a few more £££ to stay in serviced guest accommodation rather than some other types of accommodation, but behind the scenes are things you'll hopefully never need to think about: fire risk assessments, electrical and gas safety, staff training, evacuation procedures, regular testing, records and inspections.
It's not the glamorous side of hospitality and it doesn't usually make Instagram.
But keeping our guests, our team and our building safe matters enormously to us. ❤️
