LEASE HOLD-UPS

In his Benchmarks article on business tenancies (see [2001] Gazette, 27 September, 4) District Judge Neil Hickman wrote that 'so-called negotiations had a way of drifting on for ever.

I know of one application which had not come on for hearing after nine years'.I recently completed a new lease where the tenant's originating application for the new lease was lodged in the County Court in April 1984.I would like to ask the following question: can anyone beat 17 years and almost seven months?Of course, I hardly need mention that I only took the matter over in April 2000.Adrian George, Slough, Berkshire