The co-owners of Ramsgate’s Granville Theatre Matt Milchard, and sisters Parisa and Zarah Tarjomani, have placed the health and safety of kids using their Under One Roof (U1R) Children’s Centre and Soft Play Area at Pysons Road at serious risk.
According to official Thanet Council documents which I reproduce in full below, a child playing on the inflatables was injured at the Pysons Road centre earlier this year. This prompted an urgent safety inspection of the centre on 8 February 2024
The council inspector discovered multiple breaches of health and safety rules which if left unattended could place the kids using the inflatable play equipment at serious risk of injury or worse. The safety breaches included:-
The Rapid Fire Bungee Run as well as for 4 additional pieces of inflatable play equipment in the same room were being inflated and used as part of children’s parties without being anchored down. Each piece of Inflatable play equipment must have a minimum of 6 adequate anchor points to be operated safely. This is independent of whether the equipment is used indoors or outdoors
you could not provide me with operator instructions for the Rapid Fire Bungee Run as well as for 4 additional pieces of inflatable play equipment in the same room. For compliance with The Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 Article 4, section 3b These must be available and kept with the equipment to ensure that each piece of play equipment is operated safely and as intended.
you could not provide me with maintenance records or a certificate of inspection issued by a competent person for the Rapid Fire Bungee Run as well as for 4 additional pieces of inflatable play equipment in the same room.
In line with the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 Article 4, section 3b you must adequately maintain equipment and have each piece of inflatable play equipment inspected by a competent person who should certify that each piece is compliant with the law and safe to use.
At the time of my visit it was noted that the 4 bungee cords and harnesses used as part of the Rapid Fire Bungee Run were defective and had been modified by persons that were not competent to do so. Under The Health and Safety at Work Etc. Act 1974, Section 3 equipment must be certified as safe and adequate by a competent person.
At the time of my visit it was noted that there were insufficient risk assessments in place for use of inflatable play equipment. Under The Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999, Regulation 3, 1(b)You must have in place adequate risk assessment for all identified risks within the premises including specific assessment of the risk associated with the use of inflatable play equipment
At the time of my visit I found that staff with health and safety responsibilities did not have adequate knowledge to effectively carry out their role. Under the The Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999, Article 13 (b) you must provide adequate training to employees in line with their responsibilities and undertakings
So serious were the risks to the safety of the kids, that the council placed a prohibition order on any further use of all the inflatable play equipment listed in the inspection report.
I understand that this equipment has now been disposed of and new equipment has been hired in to replace it. Staff have also been trained in the safety issues regarding the use of inflatable play equipment and the council has authorised the company to use inflatables once again with a follow up inspection to take place in September 2024.
Why the council did not use it powers to prosecute the company directors for such serious acts of safety neglect is beyond me.
Had they done their homework council officers would have quickly found out that health and safety does not appear to have been high on Milchard, and the Tarjomani sisters agenda.
I know of another child being injured at Under 1 Roof Pyson’s Road in 2023. I also have copies of Ofsted investigation reports which took place in 2022 and 2023 at other nurseries managed by Under 1 Roof in London and Canterbury which also express concerns about the safety and safeguarding of children in their care. Thankfully these nurseries have now been closed down.
Such a worrying and neglectful track record on matters of safety, especailly that of children, leads me to wonder just how safe the 700 seater Granville Theatre, which is also owned and managed by Milchard and the Tarjomani’s, might actually be.
Rather than leaving things to chance, and Milchard and the Tarjonami's seem to have done, I have contacted the relevant authorities to explain my concerns and find out if recent and appropriate inspections of th Theatre have been carried out.
The Documents
Call Out. If you have used Under 1 Roof services at Pysons Road or if you have, or still are still working there, and would like to spill the beans on bad practice please contact me in strict confidence on 07866588766 or email ianddriver@yahoo.co.uk Photos would be very helpful too. I never ever reveal my sources.