Fire risk assessments in Royston

Which fire and rescue service covers your premises?

Royston lies on the Hertfordshire and Cambridgeshire border, and the SG8 postcode district includes villages on both sides of it. In Hertfordshire the enforcing authority is Hertfordshire Fire and Rescue Service. A building in a Cambridgeshire village is the concern of Cambridgeshire Fire and Rescue Service instead. The Fire Safety Order is the same on both sides of the line. Check which county you are in.

What are the buildings like?

Royston grew up where two ancient routes, the Icknield Way and Ermine Street, cross, and it is still a market town. The centre has coaching inns, Georgian and Victorian shopfronts and townhouses that have been turned into offices, with yards and passages behind. Newer housing and business units have been added around the edges, and the railway station is on the line to Cambridge.

What matters for inns, hotels and guest houses?

Premises where guests sleep are among the most closely assessed. Old coaching inns often have rooms along upper corridors and rear stairs that were never planned for modern occupancy. The assessor will look at alarms that wake sleeping guests, fire doors to rooms, emergency lighting and a plan for night staff. Tell the assessor how many rooms you let and whether any guests are likely to need help to leave.

What about converted barns and village premises?

Farms around Royston have turned barns and outbuildings into workshops, offices, studios and venues. They may combine old timber with new insulation, long distances between exits and few staff on site. Village halls, churches and clubs are covered by the Order too, and often depend on volunteers, which makes the fire plan and basic training especially important. Ask the assessor to check how far anyone would have to walk to reach a way out, and whether that route is lit after dark.

What about town centre shops and offices?

Shops with offices or flats above are common. The route out from the upper floors often runs down a narrow stair beside the shop door or out through a yard, and an assessor will check that it stays clear and that the yard door is not locked or padlocked while people are inside. North Hertfordshire District Council is the housing authority for the Hertfordshire side of Royston and can advise landlords on licensing.

How does an enquiry from Royston work?

You send one form.