Wealthy Harrogate hotelier fined for health and safety breach

Yoko Banks, 66, owner of the Azalea Court Hotel on Kings Road and former owner of the Ruskin Hotel on Swan Road in Harrogate, pleaded guilty to two health and safety offences at Harrogate Magistrates Court on Tuesday, February 3.

The prosecution was brought by Harrogate Borough Council (HBC), after Mrs Banks failed to address a number of serious electrical faults which had been identified by electrical contractors, employed on the advice of HBC and the Health and Safety Executive.

Despite approximately 50 category C2 (potentially dangerous requiring urgent remedial action) electrical faults being found at the two premises in March 2013, a further inspection in January 2014 revealed that some of the electrical faults had not been addressed, while others had undergone faulty corrective work and were in a potentially dangerous condition.

Mrs Banks admitted two counts of breaching the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 and was fined £14,000 for each offence, and ordered to pay a £140 Victim Surcharge and costs of £2,450.75 (a total of £30,590.75).

Jennifer Norton is Head of Legal and Governance at HBC .

She said: “Despite being notified of a large number of electrical issues, the proprietor failed to undertake all of the essential maintenance work.

“She continued to operate both hotels knowing that she was compromising people’s health and safety.

“This prosecution demonstrates that HBC does all that it reasonably can to ensure that health and safety regulations are fully complied with.”