The schooner Kathleen & May sets sail

THE trading schooner, Kathleen and May, based in the Canning Half Tide Dock having returned to Liverpool from her visit to the Bristol Festival, set sail again for a visit to Gloucester. Here she is seen hoisting her 3 sails as she leaves Liverpool. She will be back in time for the Mersey Harbour Festival that will run over 8 September to 15 September 2011.

B&Bs in Southport reminded to check they are correctly licensed this Bank Holiday says TV Licensing

AHEAD of the August Bank Holiday Weekend, TV Licensing are calling on proprietors of Bed and Breakfasts and Guesthouses in Southport to check they are correctly licensed if TVs are provided for guests or used on site.

The good news for B&B and Guesthouse owners is that a single TV Licence will cover up to 15 guest rooms on any one site, meaning the vast majority will need to pay just £145.50 to ensure they are covered. For Guesthouses and B&Bs with more than 15 accommodation units, there is an additional fee for every five additional units.

Anyone who watches or records TV at the same time as it is broadcast needs to be covered by a valid licence, including businesses such as B&Bs where TVs may be provided in guest rooms. A TV Licence for guest accommodation can be purchased in minutes via an online or by calling TV Licensing on:- 0300 790 6124.

David Weston, Chief Executive of the Bed and Breakfast Association, said:- "The good news for B&Bs is that your standard TV licence will cover you for up to 15 guest rooms, so most B&Bs do not need to pay more than a private house. Making sure you have a valid current TV Licence is important, especially during busy periods like summer when keeping on top of admin can be more challenging. If you are unsure whether you are covered or not you can call TV Licensing’s hotel team or check the website to give you peace of mind for the year ahead."

TV Licensing’s enquiry officers will be out visiting over the bank holiday weekend and anyone watching TV illegally, including business owners, risks a prosecution and fine of up to £1,000.

Using TV Licensing’s database of almost 30 million UK addresses our officers can identify premises where they suspect people are watching TV illegally.

Last year TV Licensing caught more than 1,000 businesses without a valid licence.

Tim Downs, TV Licensing spokesperson for Northern England, said:- "Bed and Breakfasts and Guesthouses across the UK will be in for a busy time as holiday makers make the most of the last bank holiday of the summer. It’s essential that owners and managers ensure they are covered now, rather than risk a prosecution and fine of up to £1,000. We’re always keen to make sure that businesses have all the information they need to stay on the right side of the law and avoid risking a fine. Bed and Breakfast proprietors can get in touch with our dedicated guest accommodation team if they have any questions by calling:- 0300 790 6124 or find out more at:- tvlicensing.co.uk/hotels."

Government sees sense on health & safety

THE UK Government has seen sense in calling for an end to the “epidemic of excuses” wrongly citing health and safety, the industry’s leading professional body said on Wednesday, 24 August 2011.

Employment Minister Chris Grayling MP defended the UK’s renowned system of health and safety legislation this morning – and he criticised those who try to hide their unpopular decisions behind it.

The move was welcomed by the Institution of Occupational Safety and Health (IOSH), which has led a concerted campaign across the health and safety profession to highlight the damaging misinterpretation and mis-application of laws.

IOSH head of policy and public affairs Richard Jones said:- "We’re delighted that the Government has listened and is joining our fight to tackle the health and safety myths that have sadly tarnished real health and safety. We think this statement by the Minister represents an important watershed in putting the record straight about real health and safety – highlighting that it’s only when it’s misinterpreted and misapplied that there are problems. Good health and safety is about saving lives, supporting business and enterprise and sustaining the economy. We think better education and government promotion of the sensible steps the law really requires should help debunk all this nonsense once and for all. Health and safety is about enabling things to happen and keeping people safe, it’s certainly not about pointless paperwork, barmy bans or spoiling sports days."

IOSH has fought long and hard in recent months to promote the strengths of UK health and safety legislation and the benefits of its sensible application. In the past year, our senior representatives met PM David Cameron, Mr Grayling and Government advisers Lord Young and Professor Ragnar Lofstedt, and wrote to Business Secretary Vince Cable. That now looks like it is paying off.

Mr Grayling said:- "We have seen an epidemic of excuses wrongly citing health and safety as a reason to prevent people from doing pretty harmless things with only very minor risks attached. This has to stop. The law does not require this to happen – people must be encouraged to use their common sense. Health and safety laws exist to provide important safeguards against people being seriously injured or made unwell at work and should not hamper everyday activities. These regulations are intended to save lives, not stop them. Middle managers in councils and companies should not try to hide unpopular decisions behind health and safety legislation. People must acknowledge these myths and continue to challenge them."

Like IOSH, Ministers are concerned that misconceptions of health and safety law draw attention away from the real workplace risks that put people in genuine danger – and are determined to tackle the myths to ensure serious hazards are not trivialised.

In reality, the health and safety legislation is generally focused on the workplace, dealing with risks such as unguarded machinery, unsafe work at height and exposure to toxins such as asbestos.

A wide-ranging review of health and safety legislation, carried out by Prof Lofstedt and involving IOSH, will report to ministers in October with proposals for consolidating or simplifying existing statutes.

Peel Land & Property Lets 1.8 acre Space to Reynolds Logistics

PEEL Land and Property have let a 1.8 acre site in Ellesmere Port to logistics firm Reynolds Logistics. The site which is located just off Junction 8 of the M53 is close to Merseyton Road and Ellesmere Ports Docks and benefits from easy access to the motorway network. Reynolds Logistics is one of the leading bulk logistics companies involved in the distribution of bulk fuels, lubricants, bitumen, specialist liquids and hazardous goods throughout Ireland, the UK and Europe. The company has taken the Ellesmere Port site on a 10 year lease to aid with their continued expansion. David Smith, Property Manager at Peel said:- "We are pleased that Reynolds Logistics have seen the benefit of being located in Ellesmere Port. It is a great site and we wish them well with their continued expansion." Chris Dalton, Commercial Director at Reynolds Logistics said that:- "Reynolds is pleased to take on this location as it ideally suits our business model and is located close to one of our key customers. The help given to us from the Peel team in understanding our requirements and finding the right location plus organising the transfer of the site to Reynolds was exceptional." Details of the rental agreement were not disclosed. Agents acting on behalf of Peel were Legat Owen.