THE OPERATORS OF a Limerick-based fast-food restaurant have claimed before the High Court that Supermac’s founder and businessman Pat McDonagh is trying to destroy their business.
They claim that in breach of the terms of a lease agreement they obtained in respect of their premisses in 2018, Supermacs and McDonagh have been selling fast food from Funworld. The Lyons claim that they had for many years operated a Supermacs franchise from the premises up until 2019, but claim that arrangement ceased due to the “commercial pressure” that was placed on them by the defendants.
They claim that the lease agreement includes a non-compete clause where the landlord cannot assign or sub-let any part of the premises to anyone who intends to operate a fast-food restaurant or delicatessen. In a sworn affidavit to the court, Lyons said that since obtaining the lease in 2018, “against Mr McDonagh’s wishes”, he has retaliated against them, first by withdrawing their Supermacs franchise, and now “by going into direct competition with us”.