Many of us in Crewe and especially here in St Barnabas will never forget the devastating fire at Beechmere Retirement Village on 8 August 2019. The fire tore through a place that so many older residents called home, displacing around 150 people and leaving a deep emotional impact on families, neighbours, staff, and emergency responders alike. It was a truly heartbreaking day for our community.
The loss of Beechmere affected not only those who lived in the building, but also the wider area. In the days and weeks that followed, residents witnessed the strength and compassion of the Crewe community as people came together to offer help, raise funds, and support those affected. The scars, however, have remained — particularly for those who lost their homes and memories in such a sudden and traumatic way.
Next week, on Tuesday 6 May, the trial begins at Chester Crown Court into alleged breaches of fire safety regulations by four companies involved in the design, fire risk assessment, management, and maintenance of Beechmere.
Cheshire Fire and Rescue Service is bringing the prosecution under the Fire Safety (Regulatory Reform) Order 2005. The four defendants have all pleaded not guilty and face a total of 14 charges. The trial is expected to last between eight and ten weeks.
The companies involved are:
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Avantage (Cheshire) Ltd – the organisation contracted to procure the design, build, and finance of Beechmere, and to operate the retirement village. Avantage is a subsidiary of Your Housing Ltd.
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Your Housing Ltd – the employer of staff at Beechmere, and identified as the “responsible person” for fire safety under Article 3(a) of the Fire Safety Order.
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Morgan Sindall Property Services Ltd – the facilities management subcontractor responsible for responsive repairs and ongoing maintenance at the site.
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Total Fire Group Ltd – the company that carried out fire risk assessments at Beechmere in 2017 and 2018.
You can read more details about the charges on Cheshire Fire and Rescue Service’s website here:
https://www.cheshirefire.gov.uk/news-events/latest-news/beechmere/
This trial is an important moment for all those who were affected — particularly former residents and their families who have waited nearly six years for accountability and clarity. It is also significant for our emergency services, who responded so bravely and professionally on that day. I know just how raw the memories still are for many of you, and I will be following the proceedings closely as I am sure many of you also will be.
If you, or someone close to you, is still impacted by the events at Beechmere and needs support, please do not hesitate to reach out — either to me or to local organisations. No one should feel they are facing this alone, especially as the trial brings this painful chapter back into focus.
Lastly, I want to say that I remain committed to the future of the Beechmere site. I’ve had a number of discussions about what could come next, and I hope to be in a position to share some more positive news about the site’s future relatively soon. What happened at Beechmere must never be forgotten, and I believe the site should once again serve the needs of our community — as it once did with such warmth and spirit.