Chester Beatty Library Seeks Arbitration in Silk Road Café Closure Dispute
The Chester Beatty Library, landlord of the Silk Road Café, will seek arbitration next week over the café’s closure during Ireland’s EU Presidency. The café owner secured an injunction, while the OPW allows the café to operate if staff are accredited. The dispute centers on a licensing agreement and security requirements for Dublin Castle.
The landlord of the Silk Road Café, the Chester Beatty Library, will initiate court proceedings next week to refer a dispute over the restaurant’s closure during Ireland’s EU Presidency to arbitration. This follows an interim injunction granted last Tuesday, restraining Chester Beatty from interfering with the café’s operation or removing equipment.
Barrister Hugh O’Flaherty, representing Hannah’s Coffee Shop Limited, the café owner, stated that the Office of Public Works (OPW), which operates Dublin Castle, had no objection to the café remaining open if all staff passed garda accreditation. Chief State Solicitor Maria Browne confirmed this, noting that gardaí require the entire Dublin Castle campus to be closed to the public from mid-June to end December for security during Ireland’s EU Presidency. Only vetted and accredited individuals will have access.
Liosa Beechinor, counsel for Chester Beatty, informed the Circuit Civil Court that the library would seek to refer the dispute to arbitration under a licensing agreement, which she alleged the café had breached. She was granted leave to issue a motion to stay the current proceedings for arbitration. Undertakings similar to the interim injunction were given, ensuring the café’s access would not be denied and no new licence would be granted to another party.
The proceedings are set for mention on July 13, with the arbitration application to be heard in the last week of July. The café can continue operating, provided security measures are met.