Sam is opening a new surfing school business in Newquay, Cornwall, called The Big Beach Experience. When he sees an advertisement in the local newspaper for a transit van, Sam decides this is exactly what he needs to take his customers from the office to the beach. The advertisement reads:
For sale. Large white transit van – £8,000. Contact Violet (Assistant Manager)
on 01234 456789 at the Newgale Hotel, 14 London Road, CW14 OUP
Sam visits the Newgale Hotel and speaks to Violet, who confirms that she is willing to sell the van for £8,000. Sam asks her if she would consider taking payments in two instalments, but she is not willing to do so. Sam thinks the van is overpriced, so he tells Violet that he would only pay £6,000 for it. Violet replies that the best price she could do would be £7,000.
Sam asks for time to think the matter over and Violet agrees not to sell the van for 14 days from the date of their conversation.
Three days later, Sam sees the manager of the Newgale Hotel, Nadeem, who tells him that the van has been sold to someone else. Sam thinks that this is unacceptable. He rushes back to his office and telephones Violet, telling her that he accepts her offer to sell him the van for £7,000. However Violet confirms that she has already sold it. Furious, Sam now intends to sue the Newgale Hotel for breach of contract.
To distract himself, Sam starts planning his launch party, which he decides will be a beach themed barbecue (to be held at the office and surrounding field) with bands and local celebrities. Sam discusses this with the local police who tell him that they will be sending one police officer to monitor the event, as that is all that they feel is necessary. However Sam wants more policing for his own peace of mind, so he offers to pay for five additional officers at a total price of £2,500 for the evening. The Chief Constable agrees with Sam’s suggestion and provides the additional policemen Sam requested.
The launch party is a brilliant success. When the police contact Sam to arrange payment the following day, Sam refuses to pay, on the grounds that the police were only doing their duty.
Analyse, using relevant case law, whether Sam has made a valid contract with Violet and whether he is legally required to pay the police.
