Court to decide on costs in 'Masterchef' judge case

on 01/11/2012 17:51:30

A court is to decide tomorrow if a quartet of publicans, headed by night club entrepreneur John Reynolds, will foot the €100,000 legal costs bill for their unsuccessful bid to stop 'Masterchef' judge Dylan McGrath, getting a full public house license for his new restaurant.

Reynolds, who owns a restaurant and nightclub close to McGrath's €1.4m restaurant in Fade Street, Dublin, had been joined in objecting to the full license by three other neighbouring restaurateurs and bar owners, Jay Bourke, Paul Keaveney and Frank Gleeson.

Judge Matthew Deery last week dismissed their objections and granted McGrath a full pub license for his premises, known as Fade Street Social.

He said it was significant that at no stage of the planning or licensing procedure had there been any objection by the gardaí or by the fire authority.

Barrister Eamon Galligan, S.C., told Judge Deery today during a hearing about who would pay the costs, that there had been a number of deviations from the original planning permission and it was appropriate that they should have been tested before a court.

He said the objectors were entitled to object and they should not now be faced with any sanction of the court with regard to paying the legal costs of the four-day hearing.

Ms Constance Cassidy, S.C., counsel for Mr McGrath's company Prime Steak Restaurant 2012, applying for the costs of the hearing, said the objectors had turned their backs on undertakings by Mr McGrath that he would run his premises as a restaurant and not as a public house.