THE OPERATOR of a “head shop” in Drogheda has been directed by the president of the Circuit Court to return to selling only fancy-dress costumes and party goods.
The solicitor for the landlord said the result was “a positive one for all owners and landlords of properties where tenants begin operating as head shops”.
Head shops sell drug paraphernalia.
At a special sitting of the circuit court in Dundalk on Tuesday, an interim injunction was granted by Mr Justice Matt Deery directing the tenant, Brendan Russell, to stop operating the head shop, on Scholes Lane, from that date.
The shop also sells fancy dress and party items but Mr Russell yesterday said it had also operated as a head shop.
However, he said he had stopped selling head shop products 10 days ago.
The court order was sought on behalf of the landlord, Peter McCluskey, by barrister Kevin Callan, who is also the deputy mayor of Drogheda.
He told the judge his client was concerned that the use of the premises had changed and the shop was selling controversial substances.
The order granted by Judge Deery said the use of the premises as a head shop “is directly affecting the plaintiff’s ability to insure his premises which is in clear breach of the terms of the existing tenancy agreement”.
Mr Callan also said that when the landlord became aware the shop had been converted, and that there was a history of head shops being burned down, he took action “as soon as possible”.
His insurers would not provide cover for a head shop, and if anything happened to the building and there was no insurance, it would be “a catastrophe” for the owner, Mr Callan added.
Mr Russell said he no longer sold head shop products.