Exactly, it seems pointless to require a protected lift shaft in such situations but Building Reg guidance and guidance for existing buildings state a protected shaft (or enclosed in an escape stair) is required for passenger lifts, with no mention of relaxing this in certain situations.

It is not uncommon to find passenger lifts in 2 storey retail stores, serving ground and 1st floors only, thereby providing wheelchair access to the upper floor e.g. Next, M&S etc.  Normally, lifts should be enclosed in a protected shaft or within a protected stairway to ensure (fire and) smoke cannot spread to upper floors via the lift shaft.  My question is this - given that escalators and open accommodation stairs are perfectly acceptable between ground and first floors without any protection (since they do not breach a compartment), does the requirement for a protected lift shaft still apply - and if so, why, given smoke is able to travel up the open stair or escalator?

Just because someone wrote a fire strategy saying it's OK doesn't make it so - it has to properly justify departures from normal standards, they can't just say 'that's OK'

It's not advisable even if the travel distances are still OK after removing the protected status of the stair, it's still an ignition source beyond light fittings etc, if the fire starts there what do people upstairs do?

Thanks Anthony
I knew in my mind they weren't needed but could not find anything to back it up, but so obvious now you pointed me in the right direction and is where I should have looked in the first place, dooo.
Thanks again
Growler