A HOTEL in Bournemouth has been forced to close after it was found to be 'putting its guests health and safety at serious risk’.
Hinton Firs Hotel in Manor Road failed to address the risk of legionnaires disease to occupants and staff from its water supply.
Legionnaires is a potentially very serious lung infection with symptoms that include fever, chest pain and muscle aches.
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It can be caught in places like hotels, offices and hospitals where bacteria have got into the water supply.
According to the council, the hotel had failed to comply with several enforcement notices, with conditions there posing serious health and safety risks.
It has not been revealed what other enforcement notices were ignored.
The local authority issued Hinton Firs Hotel with a closure notice on October 18, pursuant to section 80 of the Anti-social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act 2014.
It was then hit with a closure order by Dorset Magistrates' Court on Thursday, November 2.
The order means that no one can enter the property for three months, other than contractors doing work to comply with the enforcement notices, officers from the council, police, and other emergency services or utility providers.
Anyone who enters or stays on the premises without reasonable excuse can be fined, imprisoned or both.
Cllr Kieron Wilson, portfolio holder for housing and public protection services, said: "Closure orders are part of the measures available to the council when all other efforts to resolve a situation which presents harmful activity have been exhausted.
“We will always use the tools and powers available to us to keep our residents and visitors safe.
"Our officers will continue to work with the hotel to protect occupants from serious risk caused by its incompliance with health and safety legislation.”
Hinton Firs Hotel did not answer phone calls, has no working website, bounces back emails, and is showing as ‘sold out’ on Hotels.com.
On Friday morning, officers from BCP Council and Seascape South Limited - a company which offers a wide range of building and specialist services - were working on site.
While they would not comment further on the situation, they did confirm that the hotel was being monitored by security.
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