The Lake District welcomes over 19 million visitors a year, making it one of the UK’s busiest tourist destinations. For the hotels, B&Bs, guest houses, and holiday lets that accommodate them, fire safety isn’t optional — it’s a legal obligation that protects both guests and your business.
At Cumbria Fire & Safety Training, we work with hospitality businesses across the Lake District and wider Cumbria to ensure they meet their fire safety duties. Here’s what you need to know.
Your Legal Obligations
Under the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005, the ‘responsible person’ for any premises where people sleep must:
- Carry out a fire risk assessment and keep it up to date
- Install and maintain appropriate fire detection and alarm systems
- Provide adequate means of escape and keep escape routes clear
- Install appropriate fire extinguishers and emergency lighting
- Ensure all staff receive fire safety training
- Appoint trained fire wardens
Sleeping accommodation is classified as higher risk because occupants may not be alert to a fire starting. This means the requirements are more stringent than for daytime-only premises.
Common Fire Safety Challenges in Lake District Properties
Many Lake District hospitality properties face unique challenges:
- Historic buildings — older properties may have limited fire compartmentation, narrow stairways, and combustible materials
- Remote locations — fire service response times can be longer in rural areas, making early detection and evacuation even more critical
- Seasonal staffing — high staff turnover means fire safety training needs to be delivered regularly
- Holiday lets and Airbnb — self-catering properties still need fire risk assessments, working smoke alarms, fire blankets, and clear evacuation information
- Log burners and open fires — popular in Lake District properties but require additional fire safety measures
What Fire Safety Training Do Hospitality Staff Need?
All staff should receive basic fire awareness training. We recommend:
- Fire Awareness — for all staff, covering fire prevention, what to do in an emergency, and evacuation procedures
- Fire Warden Training — for designated wardens who will lead evacuations and carry out fire safety checks
- Fire Extinguisher Training — practical, hands-on training so staff can tackle small fires safely
Holiday Lets: Don’t Forget Your Fire Safety Duties
If you rent out a property — even occasionally through Airbnb or a letting agency — you are the responsible person under fire safety law. At minimum, you should:
- Have a documented fire risk assessment
- Fit interlinked smoke and heat alarms on every floor
- Provide a fire blanket in the kitchen
- Display fire safety information for guests
- Ensure a clear escape route
We Cover the Whole Lake District
Based in Penrith, we deliver fire safety training across the entire Lake District including Keswick, Windermere, Cockermouth, Ambleside, Grasmere, and Ullswater. Our sister company Beacon Fire Protection can also carry out fire risk assessments and install fire alarm systems.
Need fire safety training for your hotel or holiday let? Contact us to arrange training at your premises or book onto one of our scheduled courses at our Penrith training centre.