Fire Door Failures Hospitality Businesses Can Learn From

There are many things to juggle when running a hotel, restaurant or leisure venue to ensure things run smoothly. Whether its maintaining quality customer experience, coordinating and managing staff, or working on standard day-to-day operations, it can be easy for fire door maintenance to be low on the list of priorities.

Nevertheless, they are extremely important and are a vital regulatory requirement to help protect lives, safeguard properties and provide the much needed time to get guests and staff out of buildings should they need to evacuate safely.

We at Enfield Doors have seen first-hand how small oversights can lead to major safety risks, and with more than 70 years manufacturing certified made-to-measure hospitality fire doors across the UK, we know many fire door failures come down to avoidable mistakes.

Here are the most common issues we help businesses solve.

Poor installation

Even the best fire door won’t perform if it’s installed incorrectly. We frequently see doors fitted with excessive gaps, frames that aren’t aligned or inappropriate fixings. These small errors can prevent a door from holding back fire or smoke for its full certified duration.

Our advice: Always use qualified installers and ensure every component; the door leaf, frame, seals and ironmongery, works as a certified set. Because we manufacture doors, frames, screens and matching ironmongery in-house, we can guarantee compatibility across the full doorset.

Lack of regular inspections

Hospitality venues are high traffic environments. Fire doors are opened, closed and pushed through hundreds of times a day. Without regular routine inspections, it’s easy for a worn seal, loose hinge or even a sticking latch to go unnoticed.

Our advice: Implement scheduled fire door checks and keep a record of all maintenance. Small problems are easily fixed with consistent monitoring, meaning safety is never compromised. We’re always happy to advise on what to look for during routine inspections.

Damaged frames

Even if a door leaf is in excellent condition, a weakened frame can jeopardise its efficiency. In hospitality settings, frames often suffer from knocks, moisture damage or heavy daily wear.

Our advice: Include frame checks in your regular inspections. Because we manufacture frames, architraves and skirting to match any profile, we can replace damaged components quickly and precisely.

Incorrect or missing signage

Fire doors must be kept shut in order to perform correctly. Missing or unclear signage can often lead to misuse. One of the most common and dangerous issues in hotels and restaurants is from wedging a door open, simply for convenience.

Our advice: Ensure all fire doors have the correct signage and it is visible at all times. Replace damaged signs immediately, and remind staff of the importance of keeping fire doors closed.

Unauthorised modifications

We often see alterations that compromise fire certification, such as: trimming doors, changing hardware or adding ventilation gaps. But even small changes can break compliance.

Our advice: Never modify a fire door without confirming whether it will still meet its certified performance. If adjustments are needed, speak to us first. Our team can advise, or we can manufacture a bespoke fire door that meets your exact requirements.

Fire doors built for hospitality

Hotels, restaurants and leisure venues all have their own unique demands. From constant traffic, to complex layouts, noise management and safety expectations. That’s why we produce made to measure fire doors in any size, design or timber type, with options such as:

• Glazed screens for visibility
• Acoustic properties to reduce noise between rooms and communal spaces
• Enhanced security features for guest rooms, controlled areas or VIP suites
• Finger trap protection for high traffic doors
• High quality veneers for a more customised look

And with express delivery from 1 to 3 weeks, your refurbishment or safety upgrade can stay firmly on schedule.

Upgrade your hospitality doors with us

Fire door failures are often preventable. Poor installation, skipped inspections, damaged frames, incorrect signage and unauthorised modifications all weaken a vital layer of protection. With regular inspections and trusted suppliers, hospitality businesses can stay safe and compliant, and ensure they safeguard the very people who make their venues thrive.

At Enfield Doors, we’ve supplied trusted, certified fire doors to hospitality businesses across the UK for decades. If you’re looking to upgrade your fire doors or need any guidance on compliance, we’re here to help.