MASTERCHEF JUDGE and restaurateur Dylan McGrath was yesterday at the centre of a court case involving licensing objections to his new restaurant premises on Dublin’s Fade Street.
Restaurant and nightclub entrepreneur John Reynolds, owner of the neighbouring Market Bar on Fade Street, is part of a quartet of local competing pubs and restaurants who are objecting to the granting of a full public house licence to Mr McGrath’s new restaurant on the street which is known as Fade Street Social.
Constance Cassidy SC told Judge Matthew Deery that two years ago another Circuit Civil Court judge had granted Mr McGrath a declaratory order covering the full licensing of his restaurant when completed in accordance with plans presented to the court at that time.
Ms Cassidy, for Mr McGrath, said the objectors were too late with their opposition to the declaratory order, which had been granted in accordance with plans already approved by the court.
Eamon Galligan SC, for the objectors, claimed that plans previously approved by the court had been dramatically changed without prior planning permission since the earlier court hearing.
The objectors allege that proper procedures, such as the publication of public notices, were not followed in obtaining amendments to the original plans lodged with the court when obtaining the original declaratory order.
The case continues today.