In a somber courtroom in Liverpool this week, a major step was taken in the quest for accountability following the tragic death of a young woman. Britannia Hotels Ltd, the operator of Liverpool’s historic Adelphi Hotel, has been formally charged with twenty separate health and safety offences. This legal action, brought by Liverpool City Council, stems from two deeply disturbing incidents at the hotel, the most devastating of which claimed the life of 21-year-old Chloe Haynes. Chloe, affectionately nicknamed “Birdy” by her mother, was found crushed under a heavy, unsecured wardrobe in her room on September 10, 2022. This prosecution alleges a systemic failure by the hotel group to ensure the basic safety of its guests, spanning a period of several years and placing not only Chloe but others, including a young child, in grave danger.
The charges paint a picture of alleged negligence that goes beyond a single, isolated fault. While the full details were not read aloud in Liverpool Magistrates’ Court, charge sheets reveal that the accusations relate to a failure to properly secure furniture—specifically wardrobes in six different rooms and a cabinet in another—to prevent them from toppling over. Furthermore, the company is charged with failing to secure windows in guest rooms to prevent them from opening dangerously far. These alleged failures are said to have endangered employees, guests, Chloe Haynes, and three-year-old Valencia Verdin, who was injured by a falling cabinet at the hotel in August of 2025. The period covered by the charges, from January 2021 to August 2025, suggests these were not fleeting oversights but persistent safety issues within the establishment.
Behind the stark legal language lies the heartbreaking story of Chloe Haynes, a vibrant young woman whose life was cut catastrophically short. Chloe had travelled from Hafan y Mor Haven Holiday Park in North Wales, where she worked, for a night out in Liverpool with a colleague. Her mother, Nicola Williams from Wrexham, has painstakingly pieced together her daughter’s final hours. After an evening out, a slightly intoxicated Chloe was helped back to their Adelphi Hotel room by her friend to sleep. He later returned to the party. It is believed that in a disoriented state in the unfamiliar room, Chloe may have mistaken the wardrobe door for a bathroom door. When she opened it, the massive, freestanding piece of furniture tipped over, crushing her windpipe. When her friend returned and found her, and despite the efforts of other guests who rushed to lift the wardrobe, it was tragically too late.
Chloe was more than a victim; she was a beloved daughter, a twin, and a sister to three other siblings. Her mother remembers her as a beautiful soul who struggled with confidence and thus never fully realized her own outward beauty, a quality that radiated from her kindness. She was an animal lover, devoted to her little dog Archie, and possessed a delicate, petite frame that inspired her mother’s loving nickname. Her family’s grief is compounded by the senseless nature of her death—a death that, according to the prosecution, could have been prevented by a few simple bolts anchoring the furniture to the wall. While Merseyside Police ultimately treated her death as accidental, the council’s charges assert that the hotel’s owners bear a fundamental responsibility for creating a safe environment.
The legal proceedings are now set to move to Liverpool Crown Court, where a judge and jury will hear the case. During the initial hearing, the company’s representative indicated no plea, and District Judge Paul Healey determined that the serious nature and complexity of the allegations necessitated a crown court trial. A plea and trial preparation hearing is scheduled for June 4. For Chloe’s mother, Nicola Williams, who vowed to uncover “every detail” of how her daughter died, this prosecution represents a crucial fight for justice. It is a pursuit not just for her own family’s closure, but for the safety of all future guests, ensuring no other family endures such a preventable loss.
The case of the Adelphi Hotel serves as a grim reminder of the profound duty of care that hospitality companies owe to the public. The charges suggest that basic, life-saving safety measures were overlooked in multiple rooms over an extended period, with fatal consequences. As the case progresses, it will scrutinize the corporate practices and safety protocols of Britannia Hotels, testing whether the tragic death of Chloe Haynes and the injury of a toddler will lead to meaningful change and corporate accountability in an industry built on comfort and security. For now, a family mourns their “Birdy,” and a community watches, hoping that justice will bring not only answers but also a legacy of safer standards for all.
