News

Fire and Sole are 'China Ready'

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The first Irish restaurants, Dublin’s FIRE Restaurant & Lounge and SOLE Seafood & Grill to complete Fáilte Ireland’s Get China Ready programme have received their

certificates.

Pictured are Stephen Dudley, Fáilte Ireland, Tony Lenehan, Centre for Competitiveness, Madame Olga Wang, Chinese Embassy, Andrew Fisher, General Manager and Richie Wilson, Executive Chef, Fire Restaurant.

Also pictured are Stephen Dudley, Fáilte Ireland, Madame Olga Wang, Chinese Embassy, Tony Lenehan, Centre for Competitiveness, Nicole Jordan, Sole Restaurant and Richie Wilson, Executive Chef, Sole Restaurant.

Festive g

Are you dreaming of a White Christmas? Well now you can also enjoy the charm of a Pink Christmas as the g hotel opens for a 2 and 3 night festive residential package from €465pps or the option to take the stress out of Christmas Day cooking and celebrate your Christmas Day at the Restaurant GiGi’s.

Residential guests can choose a two or three night package from €465pp or €595pps with check in on Christmas Eve to your luxury accommodation. Enjoy drinks in the Signature Ground Floor, Phillip Treacy designed Lounges followed by a beautifully prepared Christmas Eve Divine menu in Restaurant GiGi’s where Christmas spirit will abound for a charming and intimate celebration of the festive season.

Press Up Profit

New accounts filed with the Companies Office by Orsen Ltd have revealed that pre-tax profits at pub and restaurant group Press Up increased to €1.86 million last year while revenues rose 32% from €43.9 million to €57.88 million.

Group earnings before interest, depreciation, tax and amortisation (EBIDTA) increased 54% in 2017, rising from €4.8 million in 2016 to €7.42 million, with the business paying out a €1 million dividend while shareholder funds amounted to €8 million, staff costs increased from €15.5 million to €18.7 million and the group’s cash pile grew to €2.2 million.

The directors stated, "All the businesses in the group traded well in 2017, with increased profitability across the board".

Court hears hotels dispute

A dispute between the developer of a proposed new hotel in central Dublin and the owner of an adjoining hotel and apartment complex over an alleged planning condition breach has opened at the High Court.

Luxor Investments Ltd, owner of lands at Ship Street Great and Chancery Lane, Dublin, where a Radisson Hotel is located, has brought the proceedings against Wave Point Limited, which plans to build a 136-bedroom hotel on an adjoining site.

In proceedings under Section 160 of the 2000 Planning and Development Act, Luxor claims Wave Point has not complied with certain conditions of a planning permission obtained from An Bord Pleanála and Dublin City Council for the new hotel.

Wave Point, it is claimed, has not submitted a construction management plan in respect of the proposed development with the council.

Luxor wants injunctions requiring Wave Point to prepare a construction management plan.

Hospitality companies among tax defaulters

A number of hospitality sector companies are included among those who made settlements in the latest list of tax defaulters, published by the Revenue Commissioners.

The list to the end of September provides details of 65 taxpayers who have made settlements with the Revenue totalling almost €13 million.

The largest single settlement was paid by the Westenra Arms Hotel in Monaghan. The hotel settled for more than €2.5 million for the under declaration of PAYE, PRSI, Universal Social Charge and VAT. The settlement included almost €1 million in penalties.

The company behind the Weighbridge Inn pub in Portarlington, Co Laois, made a settlement of €473,000. Meanwhile, William Gaynor & Sons, a company owned by a family of Co Wexford publicans, made a settlement for €46,000.

Lahinch the 19th Limited, which previously operated a pub in the Clare seaside town, made a settlement of about €70,000 in VAT and corporation tax. The company went into liquidation about three years ago, and a final meeting of its creditors to wind it up was held in recent months.

Several Chinese restaurants also made settlements with Revenue, according to the list.

Michael McGrath, a hostel owner from Galway, made a settlement of more than €700,000 for the under declaration of income tax, VAT and employment taxes.