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"IIRC (was told this a long time back) even if somebody made an apointment over the phone and never turned up, the seller would be entitled by law to send a bill for "time lost" or something along them lines[/QUOTE]
You most certainly would not get any court in the land to pay for time lost. The judge would say that if you have opening times you'd be there whether or not someone walks in off the street or makes an appointment - its called overheads.