to gain Front Street exposure through a trade show that was held last year at Number One Shed.

The director of the Saladmaster Christmas Collection Expo, Mr. Junius Durrant, has this month written to some 60 stores that participated last year, informing them of the position taken by the corporation and advising them that there will be no show this year.

The show was supposed to be an annual affair in November and Mr. Durrant thought he had an agreement with the corporation for a four-year contract. If he did, the corporation has now changed its mind. A clue as to why was revealed this week by corporation secretary, Mr. Roger Sherratt.

Mr. Sherratt said: "There were items being sold there (at the trade show) that are also sold by merchants in Hamilton, paying City taxes.'' In fact, there was no indication that the City had a problem with retail sales at Number One Shed, according to Mr. Durrant, until his show last year.

Mr. Durrant said: "The women's expo was held there and products were sold.

They probably thought I was making too much money out of it. But they didn't know the kinds of costs that were involved.

"The show was successful in terms of promotion. But with the adverse publicity brought on by the City, some of the exhibitors were not sure what to do.'' The corporation wrote to Mr. Durrant on the eve of last year's show expressing concern about the selling of products at the show. But by that time it was too late to stop the plans of the show's sub-letting participants.

Mr. Sherratt said that the City had no objection to trade shows, except those that intend to actually do trade while on the premises.

He said: "We reserve the right to be flexible and consider some requests, but not if it is in anyway competing with tax-paying City stores. If they are trying to create a fair atmosphere and wanted to sell refreshments, for example, that would be considered. But any retail sales would have to be reviewed by the corporation.'' The City's new policy, outlined in a letter to Mr. Durrant from the corporation's lawyers Appleby, Spurling and Kempe in February, also prohibits sub-letting of the premises of the kind done by Mr. Durrant, without prior approval from the Corporation of Hamilton. And in such an event, the corporation may jack up the rent.

Another new policy reads: "There will be no rental of the premises which results in interference with day-time parking on the lower portion of the premises.'' In fact, Mr. Sherratt said the City was considering making the entire parking facility there a two-hour car park only.

Rental fees for the property were increased "substantially'' following last year's trade show.