SotA Anthology 2015-16
Defendants’ said building is allowed to
be of the full intended height the same
will cause very grave and material
and irreplaceable interference with
access and use…of the said light
previously enjoyed.”
rental value per annum respectively, both
of which contradictorily are located on the
corner of the Promenade and Adelaide
Place. Best even suggests that the new
Woolworth’s Building will increase the value
of the properties:
During investigations into these claims,
local architect and surveyor Mr. Halstead
Best was retained on behalf of F. W.
Woolworth & Company Ltd. as a valuer,
to estimate the “possible loss of rent due
to damage to the light” to the hotel. Best
had been mentioned numerous times in
correspondence regarding this case as the
best person for the job, having previously
worked as a “Professional Valuer for rating
purposes to the Corporation of Blackpool”
and by his own admission having “full
knowledge of these properties for the past
seventeen years.” As such, he outlined a
detailed summary of his findings that were
largely dismissive of the Plaintiff’s case,
not surprising due to his employment to F.
W. Woolworth & Company Ltd. That being
said, his conclusions still provide insightful
information into how the hotel was operated
at the time.
“My own view is that certainly so
far as the ground floor properties
are concerned the result of Messrs.
Woolworths’ building operations
which will be the means of bringing
more people into Adelaide Place will
certainly reflect itself in improved
rental values”
In letters from 193