A dispute over the Lease of the Barge Inn pub on the banks of the Grand Canal has come before the High Court.

The tenant of the Barge Inn pub has brought an application to the Court seeking orders restraining the landlord forfeiting the pub’s lease and re-entering the premises. The Landlord, a company now controlled by Irish Bank Resolution Corporation, formerly Anglo Irish Bank, is opposing the application and in a counterclaim is seeking possession of the premises.

The tenant is claiming that a 20 year commercial lease was entered into in 2004 with the then owners of the pub at annual rent of €400,000 however the tenant says that the lease agreement was varied in 2010, reducing the rent to €273,000. The landlord is claiming that the revised rent agreement of 2010 was temporary and proposed to terminate it.

It is alleged that the Landlord served a forfeiture notice last January and sought arrears of rent based on an annual rent of €400,000. The tenant says the Landlord is acting unlawfully in attempting to terminate the 2010 revised rent agreement and is also seeking a declaration that the annual rent is €273,000, plus damages. Ms. Justice Mary Laffoy will resume the hearing of the application next week.

David Walley + Co Solicitors have many years experience advising clients in relation to Commercial Leases and we can offer this expertise to you.