Located in the heart of Clerkenwell, London, the Zetter Hotel is the stunning transformation of a Victorian warehouse into a 59-room boutique hotel and restaurant with atrium running through the centre of the building. The original fire strategy was very complex therefore FDS Consult was appointed to provide a detailed Management Strategy based on the consultant’s knowledge of the structure.

The fire strategy was complex as it overcame challenges associated with the design aspirations of the building to gain Building Regulations approval, however as it is the building operator’s responsibility to ensure safe evacuation, FDS Consult were appointed to write a simplified management strategy in line with the fire strategy.

FDS Consult used an understanding of fire strategies for complex buildings to consider every element of the building’s ongoing fire safety, such as how evacuations will be carried out including disabled refuges, what processes are in place to monitor visitor arrivals and procedures to ensure that fire safety equipment is serviced and routine checks are documented.

Evacuation is of particular importance as there is only a single staircase for the seven-story-plus-basement structure, and the means of escape is located around an open atrium.

As part of the ongoing contract FDS Consult provide Zetter Hotel staff with on-site training to understand the fire strategy’s implementation and gain the capability to undertake adequate risk assessments. It is essential that staff fully understand the fire strategy, and the scenarios it is based upon.