Couple ‘reclaim’ pub from receiver

A couple has “reclaimed” their Co Cork pub from a bank-appointed receiver after having been locked out of the premises since last February.

Helen Waterman and her partner Ali Riza Karyagdi walked into the Junction pub in Glounthaune at noon yesterday and asked a member of staff appointed by the receiver to leave. The man withdrew and the reclaiming of the pub passed off peacefully.

Ms Waterman and her partner were supported in their move by friends and members of People for Economic Justice, a group which fights for the rights of people who find themselves in trouble with bank repayments.

The couple readily admit that they owe the Bank of Scotland €1m but maintain that they could repay the money if they were allowed to run the bar, instead of it being in the receiver’s hands.

The pub had been in the hands of Ms Waterman’s family for the past 50 years and she had been running it for the past 32 years until the bank moved to appoint a receiver.

The receiver, KPMG, appointed staff to run the bar after Ms Waterman and her partner were removed from the premises four months ago.

“It was an emotional moment when we were forced to leave,” said Ms Waterman.

“Now that I’m back in, I’m elated.”

She said the receiver had changed all the locks on the bar and she intended to have them all replaced as soon as possible.

Ms Waterman last night opened the pub in an attempt to entice in customers for the Ireland v Spain Euro 2012 match.

Ben Gilroy, a founder of People for Economic Justice, said he had accompanied the couple into the pub as a show of solidarity and to advise them of their rights.

He maintained that if the couple had been allowed to keep the pub they would have been able to pay back Bank of Scotland, which he said was “not the worst” bank when it came to reaching amicable settlements with clients.