Day 204 - 15 Jan 96 - Page 50


     
     1        year.  So you cannot necessarily read into that that 29 or
     2        30 is a more difficult target.
     3
     4   MS. STEEL:  At any rate, you were wanting him to get a lower
     5        percentage than 29 per cent here?
     6        A.  Yes.
     7
     8   Q.   So the Company does not lower the prices of its products
     9        when the food costs go down, then?
    10        A.  No, not necessarily, although, you know, they may do.
    11
    12   Q.   Can I ask about page 45?  In the "profit" section, it
    13        says: "Despite being 20,000 behind budgeted sales we are
    14        £700 above budgeted profit after controllables, and 1.32
    15        per cent."  So Mr. Coton must have cut back costs quite
    16        drastically in order to achieve that?
    17        A.  It depends how accurate the budgeted sales were.
    18        I would say, I mean, obviously, he has done a good job in
    19        that area.
    20
    21   Q.   You were impressed with his cost cutting?
    22        A.  Cost controls, yes.
    23
    24   Q.   Who is JEG?
    25        A.  Sorry, where is that?
    26
    27   Q.   It is initials.
    28        A.  Yes.
    29
    30   Q.   It is on page 58.
    31
    32   MR. MORRIS:  Interim performance review of May 1990.
    33        A.  That will be the typist, I think.
    34
    35   MS. STEEL:   Was this review carried out by you?  It starts on
    36        page 54.
    37
    38   MR. MORRIS:  I think you left for Birmingham?
    39
    40   MR. RAMPTON:  This is dated 1st May.
    41
    42   THE WITNESS:   Probably would be, yes.
    43
    44   MS. STEEL:   If you turn to page 56?
    45        A.  Yes.
    46
    47   Q.   Despite the fact that Mr. Coton has got outstanding results
    48        in the area of profit, you are demanding that he chase
    49        tenths of a percent; that is right, is it not?
    50        A.  Yes.  I think I said: "Do not become complacent." 
    51 
    52   Q.   Then if we look at the paragraph below: "Maintenance and 
    53        repair does need to be spent in the store, but stop your
    54        Managers from leaping on the phone at the slightest
    55        excuse."  So, are you telling Mr. Coton here that he should
    56        not be getting too many repairs done?
    57        A.  No.  I am telling him not to let his assistant Managers
    58        ring up a service company when it might be that they forgot
    59        to plug a piece of equipment in.
    60

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