Danske Bank pursues ‘Apprentice’ star Cullen for more than €8.2m

Ireland’s best-known car dealer, Bill Cullen, is being pursued by Danske Bank for more than €8.2m in unpaid loans.

The bank applied to Mr Justice Peter Kelly at the Commercial Court yesterday for leave to serve notice of the proceedings on Mr Cullen at his home at Osberstown House, Sallins, Co Kildare, after saying it had experienced difficulties serving the legal documents on him personally.

Counsel for the bank, Rossa Fanning BL, said about four efforts to effect personal service had proven unsuccessful and he was seeking an order for substituted service.

Mr Justice Kelly granted counsel an order allowing the proceedings be served via ordinary pre-paid post to Mr Cullen’s home.

Earlier this month, 45 employees at Mr Cullen’s firm, Glencullen Holdings, which operates dealerships in Swords and Liffey Valley in Dublin, were told that Ulster Bank — owed an estimated €12m — had appointed receivers to the firm to secure its loans.

Mr Cullen, owed €19.5m by Glencullen, is the company’s biggest creditor.

The company’s latest accounts showed Mr Cullen also provided a letter of guarantee of €1.2m as security for the loans, plus assignment of a life assurance policy.

A decline in car sales this year and other factors led to Mr Cullen losing control of the business. In August, Mr Cullen lost the Renault dealership, having held the national franchise for the French carmaker from 1986 to 2007.

Mr Cullen continues to retain control of the Muckross Park Hotel Cloisters Spa in Killarney, which he co-owns with his partner Jackie Lavin. He also starred in four seasons of TV3’s reality show, The Apprentice.