South Kensington hotel The Kensington Edwardian has been fined £52,000 after guests and staff were exposed to potentially lethal asbestos.

The Kensington Edwardian Hotel, in Harrington Gardens, is managed by Realco Plc, who have pleaded guilty to two breaches of the Health and Safety at Work Act after inspectors found asbestos on the fourth floor.

During a visit to the 22-bed hotel in November 2006, a Kensington and Chelsea Council environmental health officer became concerned when he found building work had exposed damaged asbestos on the fourth floor.

Although the floor was unoccupied, the hotel was 40 percent full and there was a risk that the asbestos fibres could have spread through the ventilation system.

The court heard how Realco Plc failed to carry out a risk assessment before carrying out the refurbishment in September 2006.  Hotel employees and even the contractor who carried out the building work were unaware of the danger posed.

Handing down his sentence, Judge Bining referred to the fact that the company was obliged by legislation brought in 2002 to survey their premises for the presence of asbestos.

The company has subsequently carried out substantial renovation work to the hotel, which is expected to re-open this month.

The company was fined £52,000 and ordered to pay the council's costs of £11,200 at Kingston Crown Court on Thursday.