Westmeath Pub Involved In Unprecedented High Court Case

Tuesday, 6 October 2020 16:56

Sean's Bar in Athlone is among four establishments seeking payments for Covid related losses.

The High Court is being asked to settle a dispute between four pubs and their insurer in what will have a huge knock-on effect for over a thousand others.

Sean’s Bar in Athlone, and three Dublin pubs: The Leopardstown Inn, Lemon & Duke and Sinnotts, claim FBD Insurance should compensate them for Covid related losses.

The four pubs are seeking compensation for what they claim are “consequential and ongoing losses” arising out of the imposed closure of their businesses.

1,100 other publicans have identical policies to the ones at issue in these test cases, so they’ll be following this hearing very closely.

Michael Cush, who’s representing the Dublin pubs, said the outcome for the affected pubs could be the difference between being able to stay in business, or not.

The fundamental issue to be teased out is whether they are in fact covered. FBD claims they’re not because this is a national pandemic, and not a local outbreak.

If the court disagrees, it must then consider what the scope of the cover actually is, and figure out a way to calculate losses.

The hearing is due take up to twenty days.