High Court appoints examiner to Copper Bar & Grill

This report is a localnews.ie summary based on public court reporting and records; sources are listed below.

The High Court confirmed Joseph Walsh of Hughes Blake as examiner to Copper Bar & Grill Ltd, a south Dublin bar and restaurant employing 29 people. Mr Justice Brian McGovern said the company was clearly insolvent and he was satisfied to make the appointment. The proceedings were reported on 5 June 2014.

TV chef Lee Bradshaw objected, arguing that the examinership process was an attempt to avoid paying some costs awarded in his favour. The costs arose from his High Court bid for injunctions preventing termination of his employment or an alleged partnership agreement concerning Copper Bar and Grill. The court had awarded him one day’s costs from the three-day proceedings, and his lawyers sought €126,000.

Ross Gorman denied Bradshaw’s claims about the motivation for the company’s application and said no evidence had been put before the court to support them. The Revenue Commissioners, one of the company’s largest creditors, had concerns but did not oppose the application.

Walsh had up to 100 days to put together a scheme of arrangement with creditors. An independent accountant’s report said the company had a reasonable prospect of survival on conditions including fresh investment and approval of a survival scheme. The company said its cash-flow difficulties were caused partly by higher-than-anticipated start-up costs and management issues; its directors had taken steps including appointing a new general manager.