Store owners refused to leave premises after receiver appointed

The High Court has today heard the former owners of a Monaghan grocery store and petrol station occupied the premises and refused to leave after a receiver was appointed to run the business.

Cloughvalley Stores Ltd in Carrickmacross employed around 50 people when it went into receivership last January regarding a €7.4m bank debt to AIB.

Michael and Bridget Quinn owned Cloughvalley Stores from 1988 until January this year when the convenience store and petrol station went into receivership.

Last May 20, when chartered accountant Noirin Hassett was sent by the receiver to take over the running of the business, she claims she was told by Mr Quinn that she was under citizens arrest and that he and his family no longer acknowledged the receivership.

Ms Hassett says when she called gardaí they did nothing to remove the family and a crowd that had gathered in support of the Quinns.

The former owners are now challenging a subsequent trespass order on the basis that it stops them from entering lands they own personally.

The receiver said that the store goes across lands owned by the Quinns, and the trespass order was necessary to run the business without molestation.