Paid £250 But No Licence Granted
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THE dangers in purchasing a haulage b usiness without ascertaining whether there is any real goodwill were illustrated at Caernarvon, last week, when Mr. H. C. Roberts, Bethesda, applied to the North Western Deputy Licensing Authority to take over a B licence held by Mr. P. Morris, Bethesda.
Grey Motors (G. R. Williams) and J. Owen, of Bethesda, objected. Mr. Pritchard Jones, for the applicant, said he operated two special-A-licence vehicles and one contract-A. Mr. Roberts had recently purchased the vehicle and business of Mr. Morris, a long-established operator, who died early in 1956, and he was granted a short-term B licence pending the application.
The vehicle would act as a feeder from outlying farms to his lorry.
Cross-examined by Mr. J. Edward Jones, for both objectors, Mr. Roberts said he bought the business in May, 1957, paying £150 for the vehicle and . £100 for goodwill. He did not ask for figures and thought he was buying the licence. The agreement was drawn up by a local coal merchant.
Mr. Edward Jones submitted that it was admitted that the vehicle had not been in use for at least 18 months. Several established hauliers had been offered the business, but had refused it. There could be no basis for the grant of a take-over.
The applicant was applying for a bigger vehicle than the original, yet it had done little work since the grant of the short-term licence.
Mr. J. R. Lindsay, Deputy Licensing Authority, said that if the applicant wished to proceed on grounds of need he should apply ,for a new B licence. The take-over must be refused, and there would be no continuation of the short-term licence.