Day 074 - 16 Jan 95 - Page 69


     
     1
     2   Q.   When you talked about the Barnet store out of your £907,000
     3        turnover a year, what is the profit margin?
     4        A.  Do I have to answer that, my Lord?
     5
     6   MR. RAMPTON:  My Lord, I am not sure what relevance that has.
     7
     8   MR. MORRIS:  I would not ask if it was not relevant.
     9
    10   MR. JUSTICE BELL:  That does not follow, I am afraid ---
    11
    12   MR. RAMPTON:  It would not be the first time, Mr. Morris.
    13
    14   MR. JUSTICE BELL:  -- whether you are a barrister or a litigant
    15        in person that it is relevant just because you have asked
    16        it.  What are you actually trying to get at on this?  I do
    17        not particularly see why we should enquire into anything
    18        which indicates the income of anyone, be it large or small,
    19        in this case unless it is directly relevant to some matter
    20        in issue.
    21
    22   MR. MORRIS:  We have already discussed the income of the company
    23        as a whole and its profit margins and advertising budget.
    24
    25   MR. JUSTICE BELL:  What is happening up in Barnet got to do with
    26        the Kings Road, Chelsea?
    27
    28   MR. MORRIS:  Because evidence was given about the philanthropic
    29        donations being made by the Barnet store.
    30
    31   MR. JUSTICE BELL:  I do not think you need to ask about it.  He
    32        obviously would not give the £3,000 and the £1,000 unless
    33        he could afford it.  He was quite candid enough to say that
    34        he came -- I do not know whether it is right to say humble
    35        origins -- he did not always have a lot of money and now he
    36        has some, he says he is quite happy to spend a bit in that
    37        direction.  It obviously brings him goodwill too which is
    38        not going to do his business any harm, but he says that is
    39        not the prime motive.
    40
    41        That is all very well, but I am really concerned with what
    42        is happening in the Kings Road and was happening in the
    43        Kings Road.  I am only concerned with what is happening in
    44        the Kings Road because it is suggested that that might be a
    45        microcosm of McDonald's and environment/index.html">litter as a whole.
    46
    47   MR. MORRIS:  The problem is that every time Mr. Rampton asks
    48        questions about how terrific the company is, how much they
    49        are donating to the community, that is relevant; whenever
    50        we question that, suddenly it becomes:  "Well is this 
    51        strictly relevant?"  I think it is relevant to the case. 
    52 
    53   MR. JUSTICE BELL:  I do not think this is because it is obvious
    54        that this witness is doing very well in business and is
    55        comfortably off as a result of it.  I really do not think
    56        you need to know more than that.  (To the witness):  Is
    57        that fair?
    58        A.  Yes, my Lord.
    59
    60   MR. MORRIS (To the witness):  Just one related question:  For

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