Two companies have been fined for asbestos safety failings during a basement conversion project in Manchester.

Hatters Taverns Limited of 50 Newton Street Manchester pleaded guilty to breaching Regulation 4(3) of the Control of Asbestos Regulations 2012 and was fined £10,000.

In addition, sister company Hatters Hostel Limited of 56-60 Mount Pleasant, Liverpool pleaded guilty to breaching Regulation 5(a) of the Control of Asbestos Regulations 2012. It was fined £24,000, with both defendants paying combined costs of over £10,232.

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Manchester Crown Court heard how Hatters Taverns appointed Hatters Hostel as the main contractor to convert a basement beneath a hostel at 50 Newtown Street in Manchester.

Work on the development involved stripping out and refurbishing the basement, a former restaurant unit, into a bar venue.

However, the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) carried out an unannounced visit to inspect the scheme. During this visit, it was discovered there had been no asbestos survey carried out before tradesmen started stripping out the majority of the space.

Speaking after the hearing, HSE inspector Matt Greenly said: "Both Hatters Hostel and Hatters Taverns have failed in their duty to protect their workers, subcontractors and visitors to his site from harm.

"Exposure to asbestos fibres can potentially cause life shortening diseases in the long term and Hatters Hostel Limited and Hatters Taverns Limited should have taken more care to protect workers from a totally preventable exposure."

(LM/MH)