Court winds up firm which ran Fado restaurant

The High Court has made an order winding up a company which had operated the Fadó restaurant in Dublin's Mansion House.

Ms Justice Mary Laffoy yesterday made the order winding up Mansion House, which ceased to trade in February 2005, and appointed James Hamilton, of BDO Simpson Xavier, as liquidator. She adjourned the matter to the High Court examiner's list.

The winding up petition was brought by Dublin City Council and was not opposed by the company.

Earlier, Úna Tighe, instructed by William Fry solicitors for the council, said that it was bringing the petition as a creditor of the company. In October 2005, the council had issued a demand for outstanding rent for some €488,000 and that amount had not been paid and no offer had been made in that regard.

The judge heard Mansion House Ltd was incorporated in February 2000 as a 50/50 joint venture between the council and IFM Facilities Management for the purpose of operating a restaurant, catering and event management business in the supper room and round room of the Mansion House.

The company had entered in a lease of part of the Mansion House premises under the terms of which rent was to be paid on a particular basis. Under the lease, the total amount of rent due was some €1.6 million and payments of €1.2 million had been received. The lease had terminated in February 2005 and a demand for payment had not been met.

Ms Tighe said the directors of the company agreed it should be wound up. Counsel added there was a separate dispute relating to the value of the company but that matter was not before the court.

Ms Justice Laffoy said she was satisfied this was an appropriate case to make an order winding up the company and she would appoint Mr Hamilton as official liquidator.

She also ordered that the only remaining directors of the company, Ciarán McNamara, executive manager of the council's planning department, and Terence O'Keeffe, the law agent for Dublin City Council, prepare a statement of affairs.