A Cheltenham-based fireworks company, Platinum Home Cinema Ltd., along with its director Chase Gardiner, have been fined over £25,000 following court proceedings that revealed the illegal storage of more than 1,200kg of explosives. The unsafe conditions posed a serious “risk of death” to nearby residents and workers.
Both the company and Gardiner pleaded guilty to four offences, three linked to storing over 1,220kg of fireworks at a Livery Yard site in Shurdington without the necessary licence. The fourth charge concerned exceeding the licensed storage capacity by 291kg—roughly 36% over the limit—at another licensed premises.
Gardiner, aged 42 and from Cheltenham’s Hales Road, was fined £3,986 personally at Cheltenham Magistrates’ Court on May 26. The company was fined £11,200 plus court costs of £10,634.30, bringing the combined total penalties to £25,820.30.
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The investigation began on July 9, 2024, when a former employee alerted local authorities about fireworks being unlawfully stored in three containers at the Livery Yard on Church Farm Lane. Trading Standards officers inspected the site on July 18, documenting rusty containers filled with sealed, open, and loose boxes of fireworks.
Initially, Gardiner denied the presence of fireworks, but evidence quickly disproved his claims. He later asserted the explosives were only moved to the site three days prior due to threats against the company’s licensed storage, a statement contradicted by information from the ex-employee suggesting storage had been ongoing for years.
Additionally, the storage failed to meet the legally required Schedule 5 separation distances mandated under the Explosives Regulations 2014. The minimum safe distance was 58 meters, yet two containers were just 51 meters and the third 50 meters from nearby buildings, including horse stables regularly attended by staff.
An expert report confirmed the containers were unsuitable for storing such quantities of fireworks and surrounded by buildings, increasing the risk to people nearby in the event of an explosion. Though no injury occurred, the court found the violations posed a potential risk of fatalities.
Regarding the charge of over storage at the licensed Halfpenny Farm site, it was noted that other licensed locations had spare capacity that Gardiner could have utilized, making the excessive stock unjustifiable.
In his defense, Gardiner’s lawyer emphasized his client’s 15-year history of compliance with licensing and inspections. He argued that the breach followed a single report—not a pattern of behavior—and that the situation was now fully resolved with safe and legal storage nearby.
Gardiner and Platinum Home Cinema Ltd. avoided custodial sentences but agreed to pay the fines within 30 days. The court’s ruling stressed the seriousness of explosives regulations and the potentially deadly consequences of non-compliance.