Council to Replace the G Live Stage Door Involved in Fatal Incident

Published on: 4 Oct, 2013
Updated on: 7 Oct, 2013

The original door photographed shortly after the fatal incident in February.

The original G Live stage door photographed shortly after the fatal incident in February.

A replacement stage door is to be fitted at G Live. The original door was removed to the Health & Safety Laboratory (HSL) in Buxton, Derbyshire, for examination following the tragic incident in February this year in which two members of the Fishermen’s Friends singing group, Paul McMullen and Trevor Grills from Port Isaac, Cornwall, were killed.

Lead councillor, Steven Mansbridge (Con South Ash & Tongham), announcing the decision to replace the door, said he remained very aware of how sensitive the whole issue was for the community in Port Isaac. Cllr Jenny Powell (Con, Clandon & Horsley) added that many working at G Live had also been deeply affected.

The definitive cause of the door failure will not be known until the HSL publishes its report and the police have handed the fatal accident investigation over to the Health & Safety Executive (HSE).

The council report stated: “Until HSL has determined the cause of the door failure and published its findings and the police and HSE investigations have apportioned the various liabilities, no party is willing to act in a way that could amount to an acceptance of liability.

“The criminal investigations and subsequent civil claims will take years to complete. In view of the sensitive nature of the incident and to facilitate the continuing safe operation of G Live it is desirable to replace the door as soon as possible.”

The council is allocating £98,000 to cover all the costs of the new door but hopes to recoup the costs at a later date. The council report continued: “If the HSL report identifies the cause of the failure as a latent defect, we will make a claim against Wilmott Dixon [building contractors] and/or other potentially liable parties to recover the total replacement cost of the door and resultant damages.

“If the cause is attributable to something else, we will seek to reclaim the total costs from HQTG [HQ Theatres Guildford Limited, operator of G Live] in monthly instalments. HQTG has already agreed to this course of action.”

The new door will close horizontally rather than vertically, as did the original door. Installation of the new door is expected to commence in January next year (2014) with work carried out by Willmott Dixon or Vinci.