Pub fairy lights in pub torched my jacket

sparrowcar

Hi All,

I was in a local pub last night and have had my good jacket written off :mad:
I put my jacket down on a counter beside where our group was standing. I went to the toilet and when I got back all my friends were patting out a fire which turns out was my jacket.

The pub had put out fairy lights on the shelving around my jacket without any protection on them or not putting them in glass jars etc.

The jacket was €200 so I obviously don't want to just forget about it.

Is there anything I can do? I reported it to the head barman at the time and left my number to pass it on to the manager.

MagicSean

Did you put your jacket on the lights or did they put the lights out under your jacket after you had put it there? Did they have a cloak room?

sparrowcar

Hi K_mac,

They were there first, I put my jacket down beside them. Yes they do have a cloak room.

S

Paulw

If they were there first and you didn't use their cloak room, then you will find it hard to get compensation.

You shouldn't have put your jacket down on lights.

Jev/N

Contributory negligence on your part as I would see it, probably negating most or all fault on their side

daithi2011

You're in the right here.
You put your jacket down on lights. So what. Its their fault the lights were strong enough to light a fire.
Imagine someone had got burned on them.
Their fault.

pegasus1

daithi2011 wrote: »

You're in the right here.
You put your jacket down on lights. So what. Its their fault the lights were strong enough to light a fire.
Imagine someone had got burned on them.
Their fault.

+1

amdublin

Fairy lights?? Or night lights?? (ie open flame/little candles?)

sparrowcar

One of these

amdublin

They are night lights.

Fairy lights are bulbs ie the lights you put on you Christmas tree.


A lot of pubs use these alright. Why did you put your jacket on an open flame?

MagicSean

A bit stupid for a pub to put out open candles. But also a bit stupid to put a jacket on an open flame. I reckon contributory negligence will play a large part in any proceedings. Is it just me or can nobody take responsability for their own mistakes any more?

senordingdong

Well contributory negligence on your part, and they shouldn't have open flames out like that.

I expect you would be in for a lengthy battle, the cost of which would far outweigh the cost of your jacket. Without a guarantee that you would win btw.

WildOscar

sparrowcar wrote: »

One of these

how close to them did you put jacket?

PCPhoto

you could argue with the manager - and/or - ask for him to replace the jacket.

it is possible that their insurance may not cover them for such a potential "hazard".... so it might be worth pointing out to the manager that such an obvious health and safety breach could have led to the death of people within the premises.

if your friends were not able to deal with the fire (which you partially caused) a lot more people could have been hurt and the pubs insurance may not have covered them - an open flame source is a potential fire hazard and fairly negligent thing for a pub manager/owner to allow.

phone the pub up - ask to speak to the manager and explain to him/her what happened and if they are willing to pay for the cost of a replacement jacket - be nice and courteous on the phone and say you don't want to go to a solicitor -all that you want is your jacket replaced...if they refuse to pay...... you have 2 options:
1. give up and let it go
2. visit a solicitor and discuss merits of legal action (which leaves 2 options take legal action ...or dont)

NOTE: I have no legal training - so this is not legal advice

sparrowcar

k_mac wrote: »

A bit stupid for a pub to put out open candles. But also a bit stupid to put a jacket on an open flame. I reckon contributory negligence will play a large part in any proceedings. Is it just me or can nobody take responsability for their own mistakes any more?

I didn't put my jacket on a open flame? The candle fell from shelves onto my jacket. Why would you think someone would intentially put a jacket on an open flame. I also take responsabilty for plenty of mistakes in life but I don't believe this was my fault. Do you find it hard to breath up on that pedestal?:rolleyes:

I put the jacket down on the counter which has shelving above it. One of these candles fell onto my jacket causing the fire.

Homer

sparrowcar wrote: »

I put the jacket down on the counter which has shelving above it. One of these candles fell onto my jacket causing the fire.

Strange you didn't mention this vital piece of information from the get go? That changes things if it "fell" onto your jacket?!

Amazotheamazing

sparrowcar wrote: »

I didn't put my jacket on a open flame? The candle fell from shelves onto my jacket. Why would you think someone would intentially put a jacket on an open flame. I also take responsabilty for plenty of mistakes in life but I don't believe this was my fault. Do you find it hard to breath up on that pedestal?:rolleyes:

I put the jacket down on the counter which has shelving above it. One of these candles fell onto my jacket causing the fire.

You didn't mention the candle fell on your coat. What caused the candle to fall?

28064212

sparrowcar wrote: »

I didn't put my jacket on a open flame? The candle fell from shelves onto my jacket. Why would you think someone would intentially put a jacket on an open flame. I also take responsabilty for plenty of mistakes in life but I don't believe this was my fault. Do you find it hard to breath up on that pedestal?:rolleyes:

I put the jacket down on the counter which has shelving above it. One of these candles fell onto my jacket causing the fire.

Why didn't you say that? There was nothing about anything falling on to anything in the original post. It read like you just put it down too close to the flame. Does anyone know how it fell? Someone knock it? How far did it fall?

Reloc8

Sure who cares how it fell/how far it fell/whether someone knocked it ?

The bottom line is that you go back to the pub and explain what happened, nicely.

If you get no where go and sue them (small claims court) for the cost of the jacket, if the time/costs (filing fees to be fair) necessary to do this is not outweighed for you by the value of jacket to you.

Alternatively come and post on here about it, and get bollicked around the forum by people who don't believe that a candle fell on your jacket.

Amazotheamazing

Reloc8 wrote: »

Sure who cares how it fell/how far it fell/whether someone knocked it ?

I imagine the pub will. It'd be one of the things I'd expect them to ask about.

28064212

Reloc8 wrote: »

Sure who cares how it fell/how far it fell/whether someone knocked it ?

The bottom line is that you go back to the pub and explain what happened, nicely.

If you get no where go and sue them (small claims court) for the cost of the jacket, if the time/costs (filing fees to be fair) necessary to do this is not outweighed for you by the value of jacket to you.

That makes the assumption that he'll win, which is far from guaranteed

Reloc8 wrote: »

Alternatively come and post on here about it, and get bollicked around the forum by people who don't believe that a candle fell on your jacket.

Who said it didn't fall?

PCPhoto

sparrowcar wrote: »

One of these candles fell onto my jacket causing the fire.

nothing falls without something causing it - whether it is the noise/vibrations from the music caused it to slowly bounce off the shelf ... or one/some of your friends messing accidentally (or intentionally) knocked the candle onto your jacket...... there could be loads of contributing factors.

FACT is that something caused the candle to fall - find out what that is and you'll find out if you should be upset with the lads ...or the pub.

best thing to do is ask the pub to replace the jacket ....... if they do...then happy days ...if not...then you have to be 100% that it was not one of your friends fault before you do anything.

amdublin

Why did you say you put your jacket beside them:

sparrowcar wrote: »

Hi K_mac,

They were there first, I put my jacket down beside them.

If you actually put your jacket under them:

sparrowcar wrote: »

I didn't put my jacket on a open flame? The candle fell from shelves onto my jacket. Why would you think someone would intentially put a jacket on an open flame.

I put the jacket down on the counter which has shelving above it. One of these candles fell onto my jacket causing the fire.

Strange.

Reloc8

Amazotheamazing wrote: »

I imagine the pub will. It'd be one of the things I'd expect them to ask about.

Let them. If he bothers to go and raise it with them.

28064212 wrote: »

That makes the assumption that he'll win, which is far from guaranteed

Jaysus.

I made no assumption that he'd win. I said if it matters to him let him go and sue the pub in the small claims court. I never said he'd win.

He wins he wins, he loses he loses, no downside for him, aside from the time and money spent pursuing it.

28064212 wrote: »

Who said it didn't fall?

No one.

The intense interest in whether it fell or not, and whether he said that in his opening post or not, and whether he put the jacket on, under, near, beside, next to or on top off the lights is in fact clearly just mild curiosity.

amdublin

Reloc8 wrote: »

He wins he wins, he loses he loses, no downside for him, aside from the time and money spent .

Yeah no downside at all

Reloc8

You're right.

Its much better to give him full and accurate legal advice following a proper consultation here on boards.ie.

Amazotheamazing

Reloc8 wrote: »

The intense interest in whether it fell or not, and whether he said that in his opening post or not, and whether he put the jacket on, under, near, beside, next to or on top off the lights is in fact clearly just mild curiosity.

It's not mild curiosity, it's trying to ascertain what happened so blame can be apportioned and from there to determine if compensation should be awarded.

amdublin

Reloc8 wrote: »

The intense interest in whether it fell or not, and whether he said that in his opening post or not, and whether he put the jacket on, under, near, beside, next to or on top off the lights is in fact clearly just mild curiosity.

These details are ENTIRELY relevant and key to his whole claim as to what happened his jacket.

Believe me, his solicitor and the pubs solicitor will want to know these details and will not see them as mild curiosity

:pac:

Reloc8

amdublin wrote: »

T
Believe me, his solicitor and the pubs solicitor will want to know these details and will not see them as mild curiosity

:pac:

Really ?? I never thought of that !?!

Hey ! If they read boards.ie !! They won't even have to ask !! I knew there was a good reason for this tribunal eh I mean post seeking legal advice. :P

kippy

Reminds me of a twelve pubs we were on last year (it was the first pub so alcohol wasnt a factor), where one of the guys left his jacket down on one of these candles. I spotted the smoke within a few minutes and we managed to extinguish it before it got to serious, jacket was destroyed though. Yer man was laughed at for being as daft as to leave his jacked down on top of a candle.
I dont think it went much further to be honest, we got on with it, he learned his lesson and we had a great night.

This is the third such post in the past few weeks where a person is looking for advice on how to get some money out of the business for something that was essentially their own fault. I know we are in a recession and all that, but that trend is worrying.
What do you want pubs to do, ban all health and safety risks? Open fires will be a thing of the past, forget about getting served any alcohol etc etc.......

WildOscar

Amazotheamazing wrote: »

It's not mild curiosity, it's trying to ascertain what happened so blame can be apportioned and from there to determine if compensation should be awarded.

agreed. it is a big difference to leaving your jacket beside a flame and having the candle fall.The latter suggest carelessnes on part of pub. I wonder what the health and safety authority would think of candles in that position though that is no good to op i don't think

ebbsy

Those candls would not fall unless somebody pushed them.

slimjimmc

ebbsy wrote: »

Those candls would not fall unless somebody pushed them.

Sounds like the candle was on a ledge and someone's elbow knocked it off the ledge onto the jacket which was left on a stool directly under it. Unless the ledge gave way or a staff member knocked the candle over I don't see how the pub should be held responsible. The poster, one of his mates or even a complete stranger could also have knocked the candle over without even realising it.

It's a bit like suing the pub for damage to a jacket because someone spilt a leftover pint which staff had neglected to collect.

FreudianSlippers

Reloc8 wrote: »

You're right.

Its much better to give him full and accurate legal advice following a proper consultation here on boards.ie.

I think the OP has been given sufficient advice regarding his possible avenues of recourse. I agree with Reloc8 here and anything other than general advice is not permitted - to do so would be ridiculous.


On a personal note, the story seems odd. Your best bet is to go and speak to the managers and try to get it sorted out with them sooner rather than later.
If you really want to keep going after that, I'm afraid you will have to see a Solicitor.

sparrowcar

Thanks to OisinT for opening thread so I can post this.

I did not have a chance to clarify what had happened with my jacket on the night and reading back I may have mislead people in error.

I had put my jacket down on a counter with shelving above it. The candles above on the shelves fell on my jacket causing the fire. I am not sure how the candle fell but i would be fairly certain it was not by one of my friends. I have a feeling it was the people at the other side of the shelving that may have caused it to fall?

Either way I don't think I will pursue it as it just wouldn't be financially worth it.

Thanks for input to all.