Tenants of the Shirley Arms Hotel in Carrickmacross have been successful in a historical grounds rent case. Cavan/Monaghan Senator Robbie Gallagher, who introduced the legislation under which the hearing took place, said the outcome was a very welcome development.
According to Senator Gallagher, the Shirley Estate - which is run by a holding company in the Isle of Man - was still taking ground rent from tenants and this was having "serious implications" for property owners in Carrickmacross.
He says owners, including the family running the Shirley Arms Hotel, were left in a position where they couldn't buy out their properties and were paying ground rent for it. Senator Gallagher added that the ruling paves the way for those in the same situation across the county to move now on purchasing the freehold of their premises.
"This did have implications because, in the case for the Cunningham's, the Shirley Arms Hotel is a very successful hotel at the bottom of Carrickmacross' main street, and they had spent millions of euro on refurbishing the premises.
"It was totally unrecognisable from what it was back when the initial leasehold was drawn up. And, yet and all, they did not have complete control of the building because they were still paying ground rent to the Shirley Estate," Senator Gallagher said.
