Day 072 - 12 Jan 95 - Page 55
1
2 MR. MORRIS: You do not how long roughly Smith Street might be?
3 Is it 100 yards? Is it 500 yards? I have not got a scale
4 of this map.
5 A. No, I have not got a scale myself. I would say it
6 would be 300 yards.
7
8 Q. Just a couple of final questions. What is your annual
9 turnover from your store?
10 A. Am I allowed to disclose that? I am not if the company
11 would allow me to disclose that.
12
13 Q. Yes, you are.
14
15 MR. RAMPTON: My Lord, I ask its relevance before he is
16 compelled to disclose it. He may have to, of course, if it
17 is relevant.
18
19 MR. MORRIS: Is there any reason why it should not be
20 disclosed?
21
22 MR. JUSTICE BELL: We have to have a positive reason. If it is
23 related to whether they could afford someone specifically
24 to deal with environment/index.html">litter, just put that because he may say
25 straightaway, "Yes", I do not know.
26
27 MR. MORRIS: Well, it is related to -----
28
29 MR. JUSTICE BELL: I am not deciding against you on this yet,
30 but put the point you are trying to get at first.
31
32 MS. STEEL: Can we ask the witness to leave court?
33
34 MR. JUSTICE BELL: Yes you can if you wish. Just wait outside,
35 if you do not mind, Mr. Stump.
36
37 (The witness withdrew).
38
39 MR. MORRIS: It is about labour costs basically, the pressure to
40 cut labour costs and the percentage the company fixes for
41 managers to keep their labour costs below, their crew
42 costs.
43
44 MR. RAMPTON: My Lord, that is quite a permissible question to
45 ask of this witness. It is not relevant to know what the
46 turnover is in terms of pounds shillings and pence.
47
48 MR. MORRIS: It is because the percentages are different for
49 different turnover figures.
50
51 MR. RAMPTON: It would be right to start at the other end, in my
52 respectful submission.
53
54 MR. JUSTICE BELL: In this case I think it would be simpler
55 (unless there is some particular matter of prejudice which
56 your clients were asked about it) that if he knows the
57 answer that he gives it and we work from there.
58
59 MR. RAMPTON: Of course I understand that.
60
