Newquay Hotel fire

[MargaretR]

That Penhallow Hotel is owned by Robinsons coaches of Gt Harwood and so there are likely to be people from this area there. I went on a coach trip to it myself a couple of years ago.
I didn't like the hotel and have not been there since. (Their Abbey Lawn Hotel in Torquay is by far a better standard.)
People who go on Robinsons coach trips are mainly retired and from the north west (many from Hyndburn area)
I just hope that no one I know is there right now.
BBC NEWS | England | Cornwall | One dies in fire at resort hotel

[MargaretR]

The BBc news is saying the hotel group is named Houldsworth hotels - true - but owned by Robinsons
Robinsons Holidays - Online Coach Holidays for 2007

[Yolanda25]

Does it really matter who is it owned by?, i only hope that they find the missing people and that the ones who are injured get better soon.
As for the family of the person who died, my sincere condolences

[MargaretR]

Originally Posted by Yolanda25

Does it really matter who is it owned by?, i only hope that they find the missing people and that the ones who are injured get better soon.
As for the family of the person who died, my sincere condolences

I just wanted to stress that people from our area are likely to be there

[katex]

That's very tragic Margaret. Yes, my Mum and Dad used to go on their tours, long time ago though, and always enjoyed them very much. There are likely to be people from the North West. Hotel fire regulations are extremely strict now, so must have been something really 'heavy' to cause such a blaze.

How sad.

[MargaretR]

It was a very old building. The floorboards creaked everywhere. There were wooden sash windows and wood partitioned rooms. The room I had was on the side, top floor and was a very poky single. It was in the part which has totally collapsed.The sash window was rather stiff to open. I am glad I was not there last night. I doubt that I could have got out from my room. When I was there I would describe it as 'shabby'. It is so very tragic that many of the people who go there are elderly disabled and would have been struggling using fire escapes and stairs.
Because I have been there I have been very shocked by what has happened

[Polly_45]

Showing on sky news the diggers going in to be demolished..just hope the missing people all come forward and are safe

[Margaret Pilkington]

I have been on Robinsons Tours too, though never to this particular hotel.

I was with my Mum in Shanklin earlier this year. it was a tour that was mainly populated by the older people....some deaf and one man totally blind and on his own...... afew days into the holiday the fire alarm was activated in the very early hours of the morning......we were on the second floor despite the fact that Ma uses a wheel chair........I got Ma and the blind gentleman downstairs and to the assembly point, to find that we were the only guests who had got out of bed....there were 3 staff and the duty manager. The fire brigade came and told us we could all go back to bed.
The alarm went off twice more and we followed the same procedure.
When we got down to breakfast the following morning and mentioned that we had been up 3 times for the fire alarm......many of the elderly guests had taken sleeping pills and had not heard any of the alarms and the ones that did, said that because they couldn't smell smoke or see any evidence of fire, they stayed in bed. I do believe that at the start of a holiday the hotel staff should tell guests what to do if they hear the alarm...and find out which guests need assistance in case of an incident. These guests should then have something like a 'do not disturb sign'....but with some sign that indicates that they require assistance in the case of an emergency....to hang on the door knob outside their room. I know that all rooms have a note on the back of the door about what to do in a fire.......but how many people think it is something that only happens to other people?

Having worked in hospital and been a fire warden I could never ignore the fire alarm, and call me boring, but where ever we go I mentally plan an escape route should there ever be a need to use it.....this was something that was drummed into me by the fire officer at the hospital (thanks Phil)...it is even more important to me with having to help Ma.

[MargaretR]

I am waiting for the appearance of the manager on TV. The manager may have changed since my visit 2 years ago. The manager who was there during my stay was having problems. Dinner was very late being served one evening because some staff had walked out. I was sat reading in the lounge one day and the managers office was in the corner of the lounge. On two occasions I overheard staff in there arguing with him. I dont think he had benefited from a 'man management' training course. Most of the staff appeared to be students/under 21. During my stay he had a visit from 2 senior management, and rumours went round that he was having problems.
It was a most unpleasant trip because the heating was set so low that it was barely felt, and was only on in the evenings. It was February - I needed to go to bed fully dressed in order to keep warm.
If this fire is found to be due to management negligence I will not be at all surprised

[katex]

You have a good point Margaret re. deaf people and sleeping tablets,etc., although there are fire alarms available for the deaf .. not sure what facilities hotels make for this disability.

I have stayed in 100's of hotels throughout the U.K. and was amazed how many people ignored the alarm to join me in my pyjamas or dripping wet hair .. young executives were high on the list. Anyway, hope our thread is read by a few who at least who will take heed in future.

Just hope not too many fatalities come to light here, or badly injured people.

[Margaret Pilkington]

I know my Ma is disabled, but she can get a wriggle on when the fire alarm goes.........and once in Llandudno was making very poor progress down the stairs so got onto the banister (don't ask me how) and slid down to the bottom.
The waiters at that hotel still talk about the burnt bacon! (that was what the night porter was cooking for his early morning snack, that set off the alarm).

[Margaret Pilkington]

Katex, there are an awful lot of older folk who are deaf but don't admit it...wear these really tine hearing aids and take them out at night....so I guess they would not be keen to own up to this disability...I'd prefer to own up than be fried!

[steeljack]

any word yet, as to if any local families have been affected by the hotel fire .
Robinsons have been a good company going back over the years , part and parcel of Gt.Harwood

[Margaret Pilkington]

I haven't heard anything about any local people being involved.
The story broke too late to be in the Telegraph...it will be Monday before it appears there.....and there still is not much more info on the news channels.
Just one man died.......according to Yahoo fell/jumped from an upper storey of the hotel.....no news of the missing 6 people.

[mallard]

I hope they found the other ones that was missing,let hope so.