David Lloyd Leisure Club Limited has admitted its guilt in relation to the charges brought against them under the Health and Safety at Work Act. Today, at Leeds Crown Court, they were handed a substantial fine of £2.55 million and were ordered to cover additional costs amounting to £258,355.80.
The prosecution was initiated by Leeds City Council following a tragic incident at the David Lloyd Leisure Club in Moortown, Leeds, where a three-year-old boy lost his life due to drowning. The council’s environmental health team conducted a thorough investigation into the matter, leading to successful legal action.
Throughout their investigation, health and safety inspectors from the council discovered inadequate lifeguarding arrangements at the club, spanning several years leading up to the unfortunate event.
The findings indicated that David Lloyd Leisure had been failing to provide adequate protection to its club members, violating Section 33(1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 between September 1, 2015, and April 22, 2018, within their premises.
Leeds City Council’s environmental health service plays a crucial role in ensuring compliance with health and safety standards across various commercial sectors, including retail, wholesale distribution, hotels and catering, offices, and leisure industries. Their responsibility is to safeguard the well-being of the public and prevent incidents like this from happening in the future.
Councillor Mohammed Rafique, Leeds City Council executive member for climate, energy, environment and green space, said “I would like to begin by offering the councils sincere condolences to the Wright family, this tragic story underlines the importance for employers and duty holders to ensure that the safety of their employees and customers is a priority.
“I would also like to thank the council’s environmental health and legal teams, and the Barristers from St Paul’s Chambers for their dedication and hard work to ensure David Lloyd Leisure Limited were held accountable for their failings.
“The council will always look to work with and support businesses to meet their legal duties, however, we won’t hesitate to take enforcement action in cases of serious and prolonged non-compliance.”
