An unspecified settlement was announced yesterday at the High Court in Dublin where proceedings had been due to take place in a dispute over the lease for Bewley's Cafe on Grafton Street in Dublin.
The proceedings arose after the landlord of the premises, Ickendel Ltd, sought the forfeiture of the lease of the Grafton Street cafe held by the Campbell Bewley Group. Ickendel Ltd is a company jointly owned by developer Johnny Ronan of Treasury Holdings.
In yesterday's action, which had been set to last for four days, Ickendel was seeking orders restraining the Campbell Bewley Group from assigning, underletting or sharing possession of the premises until it has complied with a lease granted in 1987.
However, after more than three hours of talks yesterday, Mr Justice Frank Clarke was told the matter had been settled. While the terms of settlement are confidential it is understood that they will not affect the operation of the cafe.
In earlier proceedings, Ickendel was refused an injunction restraining the Campbell Bewley Group from carrying out certain works on the site. During that hearing, the court was told Ickendel had offered Campbell Bewley Group €6 million to relinquish the lease. Campbell Bewley Group has an agreement with two restaurateurs, Jay Bourke and Eoin Foyle, to run the Cafe Bar Deli and Mackerel restaurants in the Grafton Street premises.