Courts / Wicklow / Report

Award-winning brewer "locked out" of brewery, High Court hears

Date
2018-10-09
Stage
Charge Or Pretrial
Primary locality
Wicklow
County
Wicklow

Summary

In a High Court hearing on 9 October 2018, Alex Lawes, co‑founder of Whiplash Beer Limited and twice named "Best Brewer in Ireland", was told that he had been "locked out" and banned from the shared brewery premises in Renmore Business Park, Kilcoole, where Whiplash and The Dublin Lager Company Limited (trading as Larkins Brewing Company) brew and package their beers. Lawes' legal representative, Rory Kennedy BL, explained that the ban was imposed by the defendant, a family‑owned microbrewery, who alleged that Lawes was a bully – an allegation Lawes denied. The defendant also threatened to terminate Whiplash's contract, which guaranteed 24‑hour access to the premises, and to force Whiplash to relocate. The contract, which had two years remaining, was said to be breached. Whiplash has sought an alternative brewing site but cannot move immediately, offering to vacate by the end of March 2019.

Who, what, where, when and why

What: Report matter: Award-winning brewer "locked out" of brewery, High Court hears. Procedural stage: charge_or_pretrial

When:

Case subjects

Unnamed accused

Accused

Places mentioned

Court Venue
  • High Court
Secondary Mention
Address Area
  • Renmore Business Park

Topics

Stage Charge Or Pretrial

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