Day 150 - 07 Jul 95 - Page 51
1 A. I did not.
2
3 Q. Did you do that in relation to syrups?
4 A. No.
5
6 Q. Ketchup?
7 A. No.
8
9 Q. Mustard?
10 A. No.
11
12 Q. Milk shake mix?
13 A. No.
14
15 Q. What would have been the practical consequence, assuming it
16 is possible to have done it -- I make that assumption -- of
17 watering down those particular articles?
18 A. The most obvious ones would be in the quality of
19 product that would result if I was having to -- if I was
20 watering down syrups and drinks. If I was to try to water
21 down shake mix, because the freezing point of the water is
22 lower or is, in fact, higher relative to that of shake mix,
23 it would result in the freezing of the shake machine,
24 I would have thought, in terms of not being able to pull
25 any mix out of the machine. So, in practical terms, I find
26 it very hard to believe.
27
28 Q. You have said about syrups, drinks and milk shake mix;
29 would that apply equally to ketchup and mustard?
30 A. Well, the actual sort of quality, notwithstanding, the
31 way our dispensers work is a sort of form of pump action,
32 and there is a rubber grommet, so to speak, at the base of
33 those dispensers which in terms of us calibrating is as
34 such made so that it will allow the pumping of a fairly
35 viscous material. So, then if I was to water down anything
36 and have a more liquid type sauce, then once again that,
37 I would presume, would start to seep out through that
38 rubber grommet at the base of the dispenser.
39
40 Q. Do you think that the averagely sensible customer would
41 have noticed if that was going on?
42 A. I think any customer would have noticed if I
43 had instructed a store to water down drinks, syrups or
44 anything of like -- and I am sure the rest of the crew
45 would have noticed on their breaks as well.
46
47 Q. By that do you mean when they were having food from the
48 store to eat themselves; is that what you are saying?
49 A. Sure, absolutely.
50
51 Q. I asked you whether you gave instructions to the Store
52 Manager. I ought, for completeness, ask, did you give
53 anyone else any instructions to do those things?
54 A. No, I did not.
55
56 Q. Are you aware of it going on at Colchester?
57 A. No.
58
59 Q. Would you have encouraged anyone to do it?
60 A. I would not.
