A 66-YEAR-OLD LADY WHO SLIPPED DOWN STAIRS AT A NO

A 66-YEAR-OLD LADY WHO SLIPPED DOWN STAIRS AT A NORTHAMPTON
SHOPPING CENTRE FAILED IN HER HIGH COURT BID TODAY (THURSDAY) TO SUE
THE OWNERS OF THE CENTRE.

BEFORE HER FALL MRS.

JOSEPHINE MCGIRR HAD BEEN A REGULAR
PARTICIPANT IN AFTERNOON KEEP FIT SESSIONS, HAD GONE TO DANCING
CLASSES TWICE A WEEK AND WAS A VOLUNTEER WORKER WITH MENTALLY RETARDED
CHILDREN.

SHE TOLD THE COURT SHE HAD WALKED TO CHURCH, AND THEN WESTON
FAVELL SHOPPING CENTRE IN WESTON FAVELL, NORTHAMPTON, NEARLY EVERY
DAY.

ALL THAT ENDED ON MAY 28, 1983 WHEN MRS.

MCGIRR FRACTURED HER
ANKLE AT THAT CENTRE.

IT ALSO SIGNALLED THE END OF HER HUSBAND’S RETIREMENT PLAN
THAT THEY TRAVEL AROUND ENGLAND.

MRS.

ASHLEY UNDERWOOD, REPRESENTING MRS.

MCGIRR, SAID: ‘FOR A
YEAR MRS.

MCGIRR DID NOT LEAVE HER HOME IN ELLFIELD COURT, LINGS,
NORTHAMPTON.

‘
HE SAID SHE IS NOW IN ALMOST CONSTANT PAIN WITH HER ANKLE.

MR.

CHARLES HARRIS, REPRESENTING THE COMMISSION FOR NEW TOWNS,
THE OWNER OF THE SHOPPING CENTRE, DENIED NEGLIGENCE AND CLAIMED THAT
MRS.

MCGIRR HAD NOT TAKEN PROPER CARE.

THE COURT WAS TOLD BY THE COMMISSION’S ENGINEERING EXPERT THAT
THE TILED STEPS ON WHICH MRS.

MCGIRR TRIPPED WERE 50% ABOVE SPECIFIED
SAFETY STANDARDS.

MR.

ASHLEY UNDERWOOD, REPRESENTING MRS.

MCGIRR, HAD CLAIMED
THE SMOOTH QUARRY TILES WERE A SLIPPERY AND DANGEROUS SUFARCE,
PARTICULARLY IN THE WET.

MR.

UNDERWOOD SAID NO OFFICIAL COMPLAINTS ABOUT THE STAIRS HAD
BEEN RECEIVED BY THE CENTRE BEFORE THE ACCIDENT, BUT HE CALLED ON
SEVERAL WITNESSES WHO AGREED THE STAIRS WERE SLIPPERY.

HE SAID THERE HAD BEEN NO HAND RAILS TO HOLD ONTO GOING DOWN
THE TWO STAIRS, THAT WERE A BREAK IN LEVELS.

THE COMMISSION IS THE SUCCESSOR TO THE NORTHAMPTON DEVELOPMENT
CORPORATION.

ENDS