This report is based on Freedom of Information request IG005053, comprising 72 pages of Fire Risk Assessments, South Wales Fire and Rescue Service (SWFRS) case notes, and statutory enforcement correspondence, comprising 72 pages of Fire Risk Assessments, South Wales Fire and Rescue Service (SWFRS) case notes, and statutory enforcement correspondence.
These records document sustained fire safety failures across multiple premises operated by Jayne’s Baby Bank. Crucially, while public signage and SWFRS documents frequently refer to the premises as a “Charity Shop”, the organization only formally registered as a Community Interest Company (CIC) in November 2025, having operated prior to that under a charity title without formal registration. Consequently, this report will refer to them as the organization or operator.
Decoding the Law: Enforcement vs. Compliance
Following a Prohibition Notice at the Pontypool location, public records recently showed a status change from “Prohibition” to “Enforced”. SWFRS responses clarify the legal reality of this change.
A Prohibition Notice (Article 31 FSO) indicates an “immediate and serious risk to life”. The change in status to “Enforced” does not indicate compliance. It confirms only that the immediate risk to life has been reduced to a level where full prohibition is no longer required. The premises remain subject to formal legal enforcement and must complete specified remedial actions to achieve compliance under an active Enforcement Notice (Article 30 FSO).
The National Fire Chiefs Council (NFCC) Enforcement Register lists the specific ongoing breaches:
- A8 (Article 8): Duty to take general fire precautions.
- A13 (Article 13): Duty to provide fire detection, alarm systems, and firefighting equipment.
- A17 (Article 17): Duty to maintain all fire safety systems.
Highest Risk Site: 5 Crane Street, Pontypool
The 180-square-meter property in Pontypool, open since January 2023 and is currently out of contract and pending eviction, was evaluated in a professional Fire Risk Assessment on September 4, 2025. The independent assessor identified critical failures, grading the overall risk to life from fire as a “Substantial Risk”.
Risk Statement: The documented conditions represent a credible risk of rapid fire development, compromised escape, and potential fatality in the event of ignition, with the assessor noting the potential consequences as “Extreme harm”.
The report anchored these findings to several specific, documented failures, highlighting five major areas of critical risk:
- 1. Extreme Fire Loading and Hoarding: Officer notes confirm that “The sheer volume of combustible stock in all areas is a major cause for concern and cannot be overstated”. This accumulation blocked escape routes and severely reduced safe travel distances.
- 2. Lethal Ignition Sources & “Volunteer” Testing: As recorded in the Fire Risk Assessment, “No Electrical Installation Condition Report (EICR) was made available”. Furthermore, the assessor noted that Portable Appliance Testing (PAT) was “being carried out by a volunteer” with no professional certification provided. A toaster was found in use “very close to combustible sources”.
- 3. Broken Compartmentation and Propped-Open Fire Doors: The building’s physical ability to contain a fire was completely compromised. A crucial fire door was found “damaged and propped open,” rendering it useless. Additionally, the artexed ceiling was “damaged and missing in places,” destroying the required 60-minute fire separation between the basement and the shop floor. The assessor recommended the use of the basement be immediately suspended.
- 4. Failing Fire Alarms and Emergency Lighting: Basic early warning systems were inoperable. The assessment confirmed the main fire alarm panel had a fault and “isn’t operational”. Emergency lighting, crucial for escape in thick smoke, was “poorly sited and not in operation in places”.
- 5. Abandoned Duty of Care to Vulnerable Volunteers: The assessment found zero consideration had been given to volunteers with physical or other disabilities. The report stressed that Personal Emergency Evacuation Plans (PEEPs) must be in place, stating that the evacuation of those with mobility issues “CANNOT be left to chance”. Furthermore, there was a total vacuum of safety records—no logs for fire drills, no staff training, and no documented evacuation procedures were available.
The Expansion Trap: Blocked Access on Commercial Street
Officer notes from January 2025 reveal the organization was attempting to expand into an adjoining shop on Commercial Street, accessible via a set of stairs leading down to a lower corridor. However, in doing so, they created a lethal trap. The new area was “full of stock and the entrance/exit was blocked”. The Fire Service explicitly warned that corridors must be kept clear and wide enough to “push a pram through,” and ordered the shop to restrict public access to the Crane Street ground floor until the Commercial Street exit was cleared.
Escalation: The Blockaded Warehouse
The extreme fire loading extended to the organization’s warehouse facility at Unit 5, Block D/E, Newbridge Road Industrial Estate.
SWFRS case notes reveal that in November 2025, management refused officers access to the site, claiming “it is not being used or is not open to the public”. When officers finally gained entry on March 31, 2026, they discovered a scene of total obstruction. The fire loading was deemed “excessive,” and SWFRS officers reported they were “unable to enter the premises without climbing onto a wooden unit and over stacked materials”. The premises were subsequently prohibited for use, with access restricted solely to the removal of materials.
Pattern Across Sites: The Caerphilly Shop
A November 2025 visit to the 14 Pentrebane Street location in Caerphilly confirmed a pattern of unsafe operation across multiple sites. Inspecting officers found an “excessive amount of stock, in some parts obstructing the MOE [Means of Escape] routes”. Crucially, case notes from this visit confirm that a District Environmental Health Officer already had a “current enforcement order in place on this premise for excessive stock”.
A 15-Month Enforcement Timeline
The FOI logs demonstrate that SWFRS spent over a year attempting to bring the organization into compliance before escalating to strict legal prohibition:
- January 28, 2025: Officers find blocked access routes and an improperly managed expansion into an adjoining Commercial Street unit.
- April 14, 2025: SWFRS issues a “Letter of Fire Safety Matters,” stating “some people are at risk in case of fire” and mandating a Schedule of Works.
- June 11, 2025: Officers return following an Alleged Fire Risk (AFR) report regarding excessive stock. They note the Commercial Street exit remains “blocked by stock”.
- September 2, 2025: Inspecting officers review the April Schedule of Works and report that “no actions appear to have been taken”. They observe “more stock in the shop/storerooms than in both previous visits”.
- March 3 & 9, 2026: A Prohibition Notice (PNO1/0151) is formally served, legally banning commercial use of the Pontypool premises.
Breach of Notice: Continued Operation
Operating in a way that presents a premises as open to the public while a Prohibition Notice is in force may constitute a breach of the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005.
SWFRS received “multiple emails” reporting the Pontypool shop was trading in violation of the notice. This prompted a targeted spot check on April 7, 2026. Officer notes confirm that “two members of the public were observed entering the shop”. Furthermore, stock items and advertising boards were positioned on the pavement, giving the “clear impression that the premises was open for business”. Officers had to formally reiterate that strict measures “must be in place to always prevent public entry”.
Public Safety Guidance
Safety should never be compromised in community spaces. If members of the public or volunteers observe red flags—such as fire exits blocked by excessive stock, goods stacked dangerously high, or fire doors propped open—they are encouraged to raise an Alleged Fire Risk (AFR) directly with the South Wales Fire and Rescue Service or contact their local council’s Environmental Health department.
Source Documents & Public Records
You can review the raw, unedited documents from the South Wales Fire and Rescue Service by downloading the files below:
In Summary: Current Legal Operational Status
- Pontypool Shop (5 Crane Street): Open, but subject to active Fire Service enforcement. Full legal compliance has not yet been achieved.
- Blackwood Warehouse (Unit 5, Block D/E): Prohibited for use due to unsafe conditions. Access is restricted to material removal only.
- Caerphilly Shop (14 Pentrebane Street): Open, but subject to Environmental Health enforcement relating to excessive stock accumulation.
Conclusion: These findings demonstrate a sustained failure to maintain basic fire safety standards across multiple premises, despite repeated intervention by regulatory authorities.
Sherlock…