Hearing over drinks licence

Masterchef judge and restaurateur Dylan McGrath is at the centre of a court case involving licensing objections to his new premises in Dublin’s Fade St.

The restaurant and nightclub entrepreneur John Reynolds, owner of the neighbouring Market Bar in Fade St, is leading a quartet of local competing pubs and eateries who are objecting to the granting of a full public house licence to Mr McGrath’s new restaurant, which is known as Fade Street Social.

Two years ago, the Circuit Civil Court granted Mr McGrath a declaratory order covering the full licensing of his restaurant if completed in accordance with plans presented to the court at that time.

Constance Cassidy, cou-nsel for Mr McGrath, said in court yesterday that the objectors were too late with their opposition to the declaratory order, which had been granted in accordance with plans already approved by the court.

Eamon Galligan, who appeared for the objectors, claimed that plans previously approved by the court had been dramatically changed since the earlier court hearing, without prior planning permission.

The objectors claim that proper procedures were not followed in obtaining amendments to the original declaratory order.

The case is expected to last for at least two days.