Day 166 - 28 Sep 95 - Page 16
1
2 Drink breaks are at the management's discretion, and it is
3 true that on occasions when we were very busy it may not
4 have been possible to let staff take a break exactly when
5 they wanted. However, I would always ensure that staff
6 took a break as soon as possible and often I or other
7 managers would cover for them while they did". Do you
8 stand by that?
9 A. Yes.
10
11 Q. Paragraph (13): "There was certainly no under-staffing
12 policy at Marble Arch. Permanent under-staffing would have
13 quickly affected both morale within the store and the
14 quality of the service to customers which we could provide,
15 which has always been a priority. The level of staffing
16 was a matter entirely left to me. There was no set number
17 of employees required for the restaurant to be operative.
18 The level of staffing would depend on whether or not it was
19 anticipated it would be a busy period. We were only
20 under-staffed when a number of crew fell sick at the same
21 time and I was unable to get cover.
22
23 Magill is also wrong in saying that we never used all the
24 grills at one time. During the busiest periods at the
25 restaurant, which tended to be during the school holidays
26 or weekends, all four of the grills were regularly used".
27 Do you stand by that?
28 A. Yes.
29
30 Q. Paragraph (14): "Magill is correct in saying that Marble
31 Arch was one of the busiest stores in Europe. Depending on
32 the time of year, I would have between 110 and 200
33 employees on the store's payroll at that time. I do not
34 understand what point Magill is trying to make regarding
35 the ethnic breakdown of staff; my policy has always been
36 that I hire anyone who is able and willing to do the job
37 regardless of race or sex". Do you stand by that?
38 A. Yes.
39
40 Q. Just on that point, you have promoted people from ethnic
41 minorities?
42 A. Yes.
43
44 Q. Paragraph (15): "I certainly never hired anyone to work at
45 the restaurant on any shift was under 16, nor did any of my
46 managers", do you stand by that?
47 A. Yes.
48
49 Q. Paragraph (16): "Magill is completely wrong in saying that
50 staff costs were not allowed to exceed 15 per cent of
51 turnover. It was entirely up to me to set the level of
52 staffing that I considered the restaurant required.
53 I recall that on many occasions staff costs did exceed 15
54 per cent". Do you stand by that?
55 A. Yes, that is my comment.
56
57 MR. ATKINSON: This is the point, my Lord, when we need to look
58 at the documents that were disclosed this morning, the
59 Budget Report and the store Profit and Loss statement. (To
60 the witness): So, Mr. Atkinson, have you the Budget Report
