Lavin and Cullen to fight to retain control of hotel

Celebrity entrepreneurs Jackie Lavin and Bill Cullen will attempt to retain control of their jointly-owned five star property, the Muckross Park Hotel, in the High Court today.

A receiver was appointed to the heavily indebted hotel last month by Dutch lender ACC. On application to the court, the receiver was subsequently replaced by an interim examiner, thereby giving the couple a limited time in which to restructure the finances of the hotel.

At today’s hearing, the ACC is expected to object to the examinership on the grounds that the hotel, which employs 105 people, and a further 50 during the summer months, is in default on its €4.6m debt.