Pub owners were celebrating on Friday after the High Court ruled they should receive Covid-19 compensation from one of the country’s largest insurers.The actions were taken by three pubs based in Dublin – Aberken, The Leopardstown Inn and Lemon and Duke – and Sean’s Bar in Athlone, Co Westmeath.
“Yet in order to have our claim settled we were forced to go through 10 months of deep financial uncertainty, significant additional risk in taking this action as well as extensive stress and strain to arrive at an outcome which should have been clear from the outset. “On the other hand, I also hold against the argument made by the owner of Sean’s Bar that ‘following’ should be given a purely temporal meaning. In my view, the word ‘following’ does have a causative meaning although I believe that it envisages a lesser standard than proximate cause.
Padraig Cribben, VFI Chief Executive said the High Court decision is the first good news that have received since the crisis began last March. The Licensed Vintners Association also welcomed the High Court’s decision in favour of three of their members Noel Anderson, Chris Kelly Group and Loyola Group while acknowledging Sean’s Bar in Athlone while urging insurers to review their related policies.
Insurer FBD has committed to paying the claims of four pub and restaurant owners following the Commercial Court judgement.