Mr

[Guest Singleton]

Hi there.

I am after some advice. I own a pub and I have been asked by licensing how many people I will have in the pub. They directed me to the Government website.

I have 3 exits one 1050mm and two 750mm exits when I read the places of assembly guide it says I must discount the largest. 
this leaves me with two 750mm doors which gives me 120 each so 240 customers.

but I am confused that elsewhere it says if doors open inwards you can only have 60. My big door opens outwards but my two other doors open inwards.

so I want to know does this mean I can only have 60 people as this won’t work as I have more than that at the weekend.

[Tom Sutton]

To calculate the maximum occupancy you need more that just the width of doors you need to take in the location, travel distances and the layout of the area in question. Consequently you need to have a competent fire risk assessor to do a survey or detail plan of the area in question showing the full layout.

[Guest Singleton.]

Sorry I had a fire risk assessment when I opened but didn’t really read through it all just the bits that said fire alarms and lighting needed installing which I did.

When I have read through it all He has a calculation on it. It says floor space occupancy factor = 142 people.

He has put that my two exits are suitable as I can have 100 for each exit     So 200 in total which for both doors. So can accommodate the 142.

But he has said the 200 is based on my doors being held open. 
My problem is in the winter I wouldn’t be able to keep them open.

Does this mean I would be back to 60 per door so 120 in total if my doors are closed.

[Mike North]

Without reading the FRA, the fire doors can swing in either direction if there is less than 60 people likely to use them in the event of escape, otherwise they must swing in the direction of escape. 
The “based on my doors being held open” needs clarification, I take it as reading the exit width can accommodate 100 people as long as their door is not obstructed. 
So basically, as long as the door swings in the direction of escape you can have 100 people exiting through the door, if the doors swing in against the direction of escape, then you are limited to 60.  You still need to discount your largest exit