Now on the Friday, the eighteenth of October, er Peter  telephoned the plaintiff's home to speak to Mr  erm but on this occasion he spoke to his assistant June   and er, she was someone who at this stage was involved in the planning and the running of the business together with  acting very much as his personal assistant  and Mr  had a conversation with June  on the telephone in which he told her that he had received a letter from the  solicitors which indicated that they had not yet, er, the landlords er licence to assign had not yet been given.