The manager of the restaurant at the Howard Johnson hotel on Ellice Avenue says the place should be fixed up and ready to reopen sometime next week.

The Winnipeg hotel was closed Friday by city officials citing fire safety issues, including problems with the alarm and sprinkler systems.

The hotel restaurant manager, Nazir Kassam, says work was being done to resolve the problems but they did not move fast enough to avoid being closed down.

"We thought we would be able to get out of this by getting things corrected," Kassam said. "We have to follow whatever the fire department wants and make sure that everything is done right."

Kassam added he believed the hotel's safety systems were functional, but conceded they did not meet required standards.

"I think the systems were working," Kassam said. "Not up to par, but I don't think there was a major issue. But it had to be brought back to par."

There were a number of permanent residents of the hotel who had to be relocated Friday because of the shutdown. Social services workers were able to find places for everyone.

A spokesman for the Howard Johnson chain of hotels said if the Ellice Avenue hotel did not make improvements, the company name would be pulled.