Electrical shop claims retail chain interfering in its business

A Co Tipperary electrical store has claimed that national retail chain DID Electrical has been trying to interfere with its business since a franchise agreement ended.

Pansea Ltd, which had run an outlet in Clonmel under the DID brand name since October 2011, is seeking High Court orders or undertakings preventing Home Appliances, trading as DID Electrical, from interfering with its business.

Patrick Leonard SC, for Pansea, said the ending of the franchise last week followed a breakdown in negotiations in which DID had proposed buying his client’s business for €1.7 million.

Last Thursday, Mr Leonard said, representatives of DID turned up outside the Clonmel store, closed at that time for rebranding after the franchise arrangement ended, and intercepted business destined for his clients.

This included setting up a laptop on a table outside the premises whereby DID representatives began taking over customers on their way into the store, he added.

Pansea’s solicitors wrote to DID seeking undertakings that this would stop but, despite an exchange of correspondence and an initial undertaking not to interfere, the latest reply yesterday morning from DID was “ambiguous”, Mr Leonard said. As a result, his client sought ex-parte injunctions or undertakings.

Mr Justice Paul Gilligan gave Mr Leonard permission to serve proceedings at short notice on DID.