Public Liability Query

[horseshoes]

If somebody should have an accident at a Craft Fair in a church hall, for example they tripped over something on the floor at somebody's stall, where does that stall holder stand with any potential claim for injury?

This is purely hypothetical. A friend of mine who does regular craft fairs has taken out her own public liability insurance, but somebody else said it's the responsibility of the church hall and that THEY should have insurance.

T.I.A.

[EDDIE51]

This has come up several times before. The organisation that owns the hall should take out public liability insurance for those that hire their premises.
They get the cost back by increasing the hire fee to cover the insurance. For a place like a church hall it should not be expensive.

[MallyJ]

Whilst the premises should have public liability insurance, traders are generally expected to have the same. We do and we usually have to show that we have it when trading both at our regular market and other shows.

[horseshoes]

Thank you both. Do your replies contradict each other? I'm still confused.

[Peter Pedant]

yeah both
good answers
trip over uneven floor - church
trip over bit of wayward stall - then the stall holder
dont know why or how it has done this

[Peter Pedant]

the trip will be decided in negligence -
and there are two possibilities as to the lucky negligent defendant

[Cloverjo]

I help to run a village hall, which sometimes runs craft fairs. We have public liability insurance. The traders/crafters pay to rent a space or a table. They are not expected to have their own insurance.

[horseshoes]

Cloverjo, that's EXACTLY the scenario. Thank you.

PP I would have thought it was up to the church hall person to ensure that the stalls are set up safely.

Thank you all.

[Peter Pedant]

// PP I would have thought it was up to the church hall person to ensure that the stalls are set up safely. //

that must be the answer - thx

[MallyJ]

I would suggest that it is in the best interest for traders to have their own insurance....as your friend has...PP has it right..if someone trips over a floorboard it is the responsibility of the people running the show/market whereas if a person trips over a storage box or bag used to transport the products then the trader is at fault.

[horseshoes]

Point taken Mally. I'll pass on all the comments.

Thank to all. x