Anglo sues hotel for ‘unpaid rent of €5.3m’

A RECEIVER appointed by Anglo Irish Bank has sued the company operating Dublin’s Morrison Hotel for €5.3 million in alleged unpaid rent.

Paul Sreenan, for receiver Martin Ferris, said there was an issue about the truthfulness of evidence related to whether businessman Hugh O’Regan, one of the owners of the hotel, had agreed to “rent holidays” or rent credits for the hotel. The court would have to decide the credibility of these claims, he said.

In 2009, after the hotel was mortgaged to Anglo via loans of some €41.5m, Mr O’Regan seemed to agree to give the hotel “a rent holiday” until its turnover exceeded €10m, counsel said.