Mediation urged in bitter row between cinema owners

A High Court judge has urged mediation of an “extraordinarily bitter” dispute affecting the Dublin Cinema Group, operator of the Savoy and Screen cinemas in the capital.

Mr Justice Peter Kelly made the remark yesterday when transferring to the Commercial Court two sets of proceedings relating to the Dublin Cinema Group which, he noted, is effectively owned in equal part by two families, the Wards and Andersons.

This was an extraordinarily bitter dispute and he believed, instead of battling it out in court, the sides should instead enter mediation, the judge said. While he could not compel them to do so, the festering of such a bitter commercial dispute in the courts was of no benefit to anyone.