Day 181 - 01 Nov 95 - Page 45
1 had repairs, repair of consumer goods and vehicles?
2 A. Basically, you have got garages and shoe shops in the
3 same category as hotels. So, that is why it is there.
4
5 Q. Yes. Yes, Mr. Rampton?
6
7 MR. RAMPTON: My Lord, yes. (To the witness): You said you
8 have not seen any statistics. I can show you some for
9 McDonald's themselves. These are only reportables. Will
10 it assist you, Mr. Pearson, to see the accident statistics
11 for RIDDOR accidents, injuries?
12 A. I do not think ----
13
14 Q. I can show it to you if you think that it will; we all know
15 what they are.
16 A. I would be perfectly happy to leave it at this, that
17 you have suggested to me that the McDonald's reportable
18 injury figures are not above those of the industry.
19
20 Q. No, I did not suggest it.
21 A. Oh, well, in that case, perhaps I should see them
22 then.
23
24 Q. No, you see, you cannot make sense of a comparison between
25 -- this is the problem you have because you have not been
26 in court -- McDonald's and the industry unless you know
27 what the comparative reporting rates are?
28 A. Well, precisely.
29
30 Q. So, perhaps it is best, so far as you are concerned, to
31 leave it since you do not have to resolve this question.
32 Can I then finally ask you this: Apart from the two times
33 when you went on a site visit to the two restaurants in
34 June last year, Mr. Pearson, how well have you observed a
35 McDonald's restaurant in operation and on how many
36 occasions?
37 A. Well, I was worried if you would actually end up asking
38 me this and we can maybe end up on a, sort of, fairly light
39 note. I have two kids both under seven years of age. We
40 live, I do not know, half a mile from the Narrow Way in
41 Hackney. I just hope I am not going to be barred as a
42 customer from now on because I should think we go in there
43 every three weeks for a Happy Meal, perhaps every month. I
44 mean, when you have young kids it is very difficult to
45 resist.
46
47 So, I am familiar, very familiar, with McDonald's, as a
48 customer and, you know, what I included in my report was
49 partly through, you know, a lot of experience as a customer
50 in observing in busy times and slack, you know, what the
51 work regimes look like from the customers' perspective, so
52 I do believe I am pretty familiar with the operation. As
53 I say, I trust that I will not be getting a letter in the
54 post.
55
56 Q. Do not worry about that. We are absolutely delighted to
57 have you as a customer. Long may your children remain
58 children. You have never actually worked in McDonald's,
59 I take it?
60 A. No. My hotel and catering experience is confined to a
