Day 084 - 07 Feb 95 - Page 30


     
     1
     2   Q.   Was there anything in his comments about the restaurant at
     3        Leeds with which you disagree?
     4        A.  My recollection, he gave the restaurant a
     5        commendation.  He was impressed with the restaurant.  There
     6        is nothing that I picked out that was particularly
     7        disagreeable, in my recollection.
     8
     9   Q.   No, that is probably right, Mr. Atherton.  Can I move away
    10        now, please, from customers briefly to employees who in
    11        another sense are just as important as the customers?  How
    12        seriously do you take the health and safety of your
    13        employees?
    14        A.  Very seriously -- as seriously as our customers.
    15
    16   Q.   What is "hustle" in the restaurants?
    17        A.  It is assembling a customer's order effectively and
    18        safely.
    19
    20   Q.   Are you conscious that it might be suggested that the word
    21        itself might import a sense of hurry which might in its
    22        turn constitute some kind of health hazard, injury hazard,
    23        to the employees?
    24        A.  I think it has certain American connotations that would
    25        mean that you would be moving quickly.
    26
    27   MR. RAMPTON:  My Lord, there are accident statistics now
    28        available -- there are not in any of the witness bundles;
    29        my Lord, I handed them in, I think, it was this morning or
    30        it may have been yesterday evening -- for this country.
    31        But before I ask Mr. Atherton to look at them which I will
    32        in a moment -----
    33
    34   MR. JUSTICE BELL:  I remember you handing them up.
    35
    36   MR. RAMPTON:  I did, my Lord.  They are loose at the moment.
    37        Your Lordship gave them back to Mrs. Brinley-Codd.  My
    38        Lord, Mrs. Brinley-Codd suggests pink volume XIII, section
    39        D, but a new tab 57M.  (To the witness):  Before you look
    40        at those, Mr. Atherton, can I ask you this question:  Do
    41        you happen to know, broadly, a rough figure how many people
    42        were employed by the company, not including franchisees, in
    43        this country in 1993?
    44        A.  Just over 30,000, maybe 31,000.
    45
    46   Q.   How many do you think in about 1992?
    47        A.  Probably 30,000.
    48
    49   Q.   Has it been increasing over the years as the size of the
    50        operation has expanded? 
    51        A.  Yes, the number of employees has increased. 
    52 
    53   Q.   If you look at the documents in front of you, the first one
    54        should be something called RIDDOR Accidents 1991 to 1993;
    55        is that right?
    56        A.  Yes, I have that.
    57
    58   Q.   There is a table.  My Lord, I should tell your Lordship,
    59        apropos what was said this morning, that these are not
    60        summaries produced for the purpose of this case.  They are

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