Olympia is therefore confronted to a crisis that could endanger its future as an exhibition hall. For local residents, the problem is two-fold, as Mrs. Law explained: vehicles that can't park where they used to increase the traffic and parking stress in the area (as an example, a couple of hundred cars had to be turned away during the Baby Show, by no means one of the Hall's biggest exhibitions); and any threat to the Olympia itself is a threat to our local economy: over 500 of Olympia's employees live in H&F.

As Andrew Morris told the Inspector, the real problem for the Olympia is that, though it is booked for the forthcoming year or so, customers (be they exhibitors or visitors) would be put off to try a 'repeat experience' if their previous one had been a logistical nightmare.

Mr. Lindblom's line of questioning ECO's evidence followed two main strands; firstly, the Olympia is coping at the moment, and therefore, it doesn't really need the Maclise Road site that much - a point that was quite easily refuted by all concerned; secondly, that, since the Olympia had already lost the Maclise Road car park, it wasn't an issue that the Inspector should deal with anyway.

Regarding this second point, Andrew Morris had two very - very - interesting points to make; that, should the Appeal be dismissed, he didn't doubt that the site's owners (LCR) would be quite happy to renew the Hall's lease; and that the Olympia would still have use of the Car Park, had not St. George put pressure on LCR at a crucial moment.

Quoting from correspondence between himself and LCR, Mr. Morris showed conclusively that the landowner was quite ready to extend the lease to the publication of the Inspector's report (ie late winter-early spring of 2004) before it changed its mind, following a consultation with St. George Central London Ltd. This clearly pointed the finger at St. G. as the party directly responsible for the timing of the eviction. Interestingly enough, Mr. Lindblom did not question the veracity of this quasi-statement in his cross-examination.

The Inquiry will reconvene in the Council Chamber of H&F Town Hall at 9:30 on Wednesday 29 October, when SRRA will present its closing statement.