{"id":158394,"date":"2025-11-02T07:08:09","date_gmt":"2025-11-02T07:08:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/158394\/"},"modified":"2025-11-02T07:08:09","modified_gmt":"2025-11-02T07:08:09","slug":"restaurant-says-landlord-is-using-citywest-riots-as-excuse-to-put-it-out-of-business-and-turn-site-into-emergency-accommodation","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/158394\/","title":{"rendered":"Restaurant says landlord is using Citywest riots as \u2018excuse to put it out of business\u2019 and turn site into emergency accommodation"},"content":{"rendered":"<p style=\"color:var(--color-primary-80)\" data-testid=\"title-summary\">Lemongrass owner Camilla Grey says closure order is still in place two weeks later and claims Tetrarch is falsely blaming garda\u00ed for it\n<\/p>\n<p class=\"indo-ebe0ecc6_root indo-ebe0ecc6_paragraph indo-300db776_none indo-91174671_primary indo-1d70522a_marginbottom5 indo-1d70522a_margintop0 indo-b48c4984_inherit\" style=\"color:var(--color-primary-80)\">Lemongrass restaurant owner Camilla Grey claims a closure order handed to her by her landlord, Tetrarch, during the riots is still being used almost a fortnight later to deny the restaurant\u2019s staff and customers access to the site.<\/p>\n<p class=\"indo-ebe0ecc6_root indo-ebe0ecc6_paragraph indo-300db776_none indo-91174671_primary indo-1d70522a_marginbottom5 indo-1d70522a_margintop0 indo-b48c4984_inherit\" style=\"color:var(--color-primary-80)\">After the first night of rioting, Grey \u2013 whose restaurant is in the Tetrarch-owned Golf Hotel on the campus \u2013 was handed a temporary closure notice from Tetrarch \u201cas a security precaution, due to planned protests in the immediate vicinity of the Citywest Campus\u201d.<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Aftermath of the riots in Citywest, Dublin last month. Photo: PA\" src=\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/118641803.jpg\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"100%\" data-testid=\"article-image\"  \/><\/p>\n<p class=\"indo-ebe0ecc6_root indo-ebe0ecc6_caption1 indo-300db776_none indo-91174671_secondary indo-66f0fec7_regular indo-1d70522a_marginbottom0 indo-1d70522a_marginleft0 indo-1d70522a_marginright0 indo-1d70522a_margintop3 indo-b48c4984_left\" style=\"color:var(--color-grey-60)\">Aftermath of the riots in Citywest, Dublin last month. Photo: PA<\/p>\n<p class=\"indo-ebe0ecc6_root indo-ebe0ecc6_paragraph indo-300db776_none indo-91174671_primary indo-1d70522a_marginbottom5 indo-1d70522a_margintop0 indo-b48c4984_inherit\" style=\"color:var(--color-primary-80)\">\u201cThis decision has been made on foot of a direction received from the Garda S\u00edoch\u00e1na,\u201d it said.<\/p>\n<p class=\"indo-ebe0ecc6_root indo-ebe0ecc6_paragraph indo-300db776_none indo-91174671_primary indo-1d70522a_marginbottom5 indo-1d70522a_margintop0 indo-b48c4984_inherit\" style=\"color:var(--color-primary-80)\">But Grey, who has operated the restaurant at Citywest since 2009, says she has since been informed in writing by a senior garda that the force had restricted access to the campus during the violent disturbances but was \u201cnot involved in any decision regarding any closure, or otherwise, of your business\u201d.<\/p>\n<p class=\"indo-ebe0ecc6_root indo-ebe0ecc6_paragraph indo-300db776_none indo-91174671_primary indo-1d70522a_marginbottom5 indo-1d70522a_margintop0 indo-b48c4984_inherit\" style=\"color:var(--color-primary-80)\">Grey, whose restaurant is accessed through the lobby of the Tetrarch-owned Golf Hotel, has not been able to reopen Lemongrass at Citywest since the riots but has continued to pay its 35 workers. The only communication she says she has received from her landlord since has been an invoice for its \u20ac9,225 monthly rent.<\/p>\n<p class=\"indo-ebe0ecc6_root indo-ebe0ecc6_paragraph indo-300db776_none indo-91174671_primary indo-1d70522a_marginbottom5 indo-1d70522a_margintop0 indo-b48c4984_inherit\" style=\"color:var(--color-primary-80)\">In September, Tetrarch, a prominent real estate investor, sold much of the campus to the Government for a reported \u20ac148m. The main Citywest hotel operates as an IPAS centre but Tetrarch has retained ownership of the Golf Hotel \u2013 rebranded as Cityark Aparthotel.<\/p>\n<p class=\"indo-ebe0ecc6_root indo-ebe0ecc6_paragraph indo-300db776_none indo-91174671_primary indo-1d70522a_marginbottom5 indo-1d70522a_margintop0 indo-b48c4984_inherit\" style=\"color:var(--color-primary-80)\">In June 2022, the Citywest landlord served a forfeiture notice on Lemongrass but this was rebutted and has not since been further pursued, said Grey. <\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"indo-1d70522a_marginbottom5 indo-1d70522a_margintop5 indo-26838ee5_paddingbottom3 indo-26838ee5_paddingleft7 indo-26838ee5_paddingright5 indo-26838ee5_paddingtop3 indo-b184cee3_openquote\" style=\"border-left-color:var(--color-primary-base);border-left-style:solid;border-left-width:0\" data-testid=\"inline-quote\">\n<p class=\"indo-ebe0ecc6_root indo-ebe0ecc6_paragraph indo-91174671_secondary indo-66f0fec7_medium indo-1d70522a_marginbottom0\" style=\"color:var(--color-black-base)\">Way Tetrarch has operated Citywest has been \u2018fundamentally inconsistent\u2019 with lease Lemongrass ho lds<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p class=\"indo-ebe0ecc6_root indo-ebe0ecc6_paragraph indo-300db776_none indo-91174671_primary indo-1d70522a_marginbottom5 indo-1d70522a_margintop0 indo-b48c4984_inherit\" style=\"color:var(--color-primary-80)\">Grey has fought a long-running battle with Tetrarch since it bought the campus out of receivership in 2014.<\/p>\n<p class=\"indo-ebe0ecc6_root indo-ebe0ecc6_paragraph indo-300db776_none indo-91174671_primary indo-1d70522a_marginbottom5 indo-1d70522a_margintop0 indo-b48c4984_inherit\" style=\"color:var(--color-primary-80)\">She claims that her landlord is seeking to end Lemongrass\u2019s Golf Hotel lease to allow it have vacant possession so that it can also be turned into emergency accommodation and had even considered having the hotel condemned, according to court documents.<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"'I\u2019m left with no alternative but to assume that this case will proceed to the High Court,' said Lemongrass restaurant owner Camilla Grey\" src=\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/ff75827c-17e1-4b1a-b297-d7e954bbb120.jpg\" loading=\"eager\" width=\"100%\" data-testid=\"article-image\"  \/><\/p>\n<p class=\"indo-ebe0ecc6_root indo-ebe0ecc6_caption1 indo-300db776_none indo-91174671_secondary indo-66f0fec7_regular indo-1d70522a_marginbottom0 indo-1d70522a_marginleft0 indo-1d70522a_marginright0 indo-1d70522a_margintop3 indo-b48c4984_left\" style=\"color:var(--color-grey-60)\">&#8216;I\u2019m left with no alternative but to assume that this case will proceed to the High Court,&#8217; said Lemongrass restaurant owner Camilla Grey<\/p>\n<p class=\"indo-ebe0ecc6_root indo-ebe0ecc6_caption1 indo-300db776_none indo-91174671_secondary indo-66f0fec7_regular indo-1d70522a_marginbottom0 indo-1d70522a_marginleft0 indo-1d70522a_marginright0 indo-1d70522a_margintop3 indo-b48c4984_left\" style=\"color:var(--color-grey-60)\">Today&#8217;s News in 90 Seconds &#8211; Saturday November 2 <\/p>\n<p class=\"indo-ebe0ecc6_root indo-ebe0ecc6_paragraph indo-300db776_none indo-91174671_primary indo-1d70522a_marginbottom5 indo-1d70522a_margintop0 indo-b48c4984_inherit\" style=\"color:var(--color-primary-80)\">Earlier this year Greysal Restaurants, which trades as Lemongrass, launched a High Court action seeking \u20ac5.8m in compensation from Tetrarch, claiming the way Tetrarch has operated Citywest in recent years has been \u201cfundamentally inconsistent\u201d with the lease Lemongrass holds.<\/p>\n<p class=\"indo-ebe0ecc6_root indo-ebe0ecc6_paragraph indo-300db776_none indo-91174671_primary indo-1d70522a_marginbottom5 indo-1d70522a_margintop0 indo-b48c4984_inherit\" style=\"color:var(--color-primary-80)\">This, it is claimed, has arisen firstly because of a commercial arrangement Tetrarch had with the HSE to turn parts of the campus into an emergency response centre for Covid-19 and then to use it for the provision of emergency accommodation.<\/p>\n<p class=\"indo-ebe0ecc6_root indo-ebe0ecc6_paragraph indo-300db776_none indo-91174671_primary indo-1d70522a_marginbottom5 indo-1d70522a_margintop0 indo-b48c4984_inherit\" style=\"color:var(--color-primary-80)\">Tetrarch had \u201cgenerated very substantial income and profits by using the Citywest Complex\u201d in this manner and \u201cincome and profits have been generated, either wholly or in part, at the expense of\u201d Lemongrass, according to a statement of claim lodged with the court.<\/p>\n<p class=\"indo-ebe0ecc6_root indo-ebe0ecc6_paragraph indo-300db776_none indo-91174671_primary indo-1d70522a_marginbottom5 indo-1d70522a_margintop0 indo-b48c4984_inherit\" style=\"color:var(--color-primary-80)\">When contacted, a spokesman for Tetrarch declined to comment.<\/p>\n<p class=\"indo-ebe0ecc6_root indo-ebe0ecc6_paragraph indo-300db776_none indo-91174671_primary indo-1d70522a_marginbottom5 indo-1d70522a_margintop0 indo-b48c4984_inherit\" style=\"color:var(--color-primary-80)\">Asked to comment, Grey said that \u201cTetrarch\u2019s behaviour is sadly unsurprising given the way they have treated their tenant over the past five years, all while Tetrarch has earned hundreds of millions of taxpayers\u2019 money from the operation and sale of the campus in that same period.<\/p>\n<p class=\"indo-ebe0ecc6_root indo-ebe0ecc6_paragraph indo-300db776_none indo-91174671_primary indo-1d70522a_marginbottom5 indo-1d70522a_margintop0 indo-b48c4984_inherit\" style=\"color:var(--color-primary-80)\">\u201cThey have shown no regard whatsoever for the 35 staff now sitting at home, uncertain about their future.<\/p>\n<p class=\"indo-ebe0ecc6_root indo-ebe0ecc6_paragraph indo-300db776_none indo-91174671_primary indo-1d70522a_marginbottom5 indo-1d70522a_margintop0 indo-b48c4984_inherit\" style=\"color:var(--color-primary-80)\">&#8220;Their attempt to shift blame for the closure onto garda\u00ed is both false and indicative of their ongoing pattern of conduct,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n<p class=\"indo-ebe0ecc6_root indo-ebe0ecc6_paragraph indo-300db776_none indo-91174671_primary indo-1d70522a_marginbottom5 indo-1d70522a_margintop0 indo-b48c4984_inherit\" style=\"color:var(--color-primary-80)\">She said the Lemongrass business had been built over 22 years and \u201cit has been the loyalty and support of our customers that kept Lemongrass Fusion afloat through extraordinary challenges.<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"indo-1d70522a_marginbottom5 indo-1d70522a_margintop5 indo-26838ee5_paddingbottom3 indo-26838ee5_paddingleft7 indo-26838ee5_paddingright5 indo-26838ee5_paddingtop3 indo-b184cee3_openquote\" style=\"border-left-color:var(--color-primary-base);border-left-style:solid;border-left-width:0\" data-testid=\"inline-quote\">\n<p class=\"indo-ebe0ecc6_root indo-ebe0ecc6_paragraph indo-91174671_secondary indo-66f0fec7_medium indo-1d70522a_marginbottom0\" style=\"color:var(--color-black-base)\">I have the utmost faith in my legal team and the strength of our underlying case<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p class=\"indo-ebe0ecc6_root indo-ebe0ecc6_paragraph indo-300db776_none indo-91174671_primary indo-1d70522a_marginbottom5 indo-1d70522a_margintop0 indo-b48c4984_inherit\" style=\"color:var(--color-primary-80)\">\u201cI remain deeply grateful to them. I\u2019m left with no alternative but to assume that this case will proceed to the High Court \u2013 I have the utmost faith in my legal team and the strength of our underlying case, and I am confident that justice will prevail,\u201d said Grey.<\/p>\n<p class=\"indo-ebe0ecc6_root indo-ebe0ecc6_paragraph indo-300db776_none indo-91174671_primary indo-1d70522a_marginbottom5 indo-1d70522a_margintop0 indo-b48c4984_inherit\" style=\"color:var(--color-primary-80)\">A week before the riots, lawyers on behalf of Lemongrass made a complaint to South Dublin County Council about an alleged planning violation by Tetrarch.<\/p>\n<p class=\"indo-ebe0ecc6_root indo-ebe0ecc6_paragraph indo-300db776_none indo-91174671_primary indo-1d70522a_marginbottom5 indo-1d70522a_margintop0 indo-b48c4984_inherit\" style=\"color:var(--color-primary-80)\">In the report it was claimed that Tetrarch had breached planning restrictions for the Golf Hotel by using some rooms on a long-stay basis \u201cto accommodate displaced persons and international protection applicants\u201d.<\/p>\n<p class=\"indo-ebe0ecc6_root indo-ebe0ecc6_paragraph indo-300db776_none indo-91174671_primary indo-1d70522a_marginbottom5 indo-1d70522a_margintop0 indo-b48c4984_inherit\" style=\"color:var(--color-primary-80)\">In a statement An Garda S\u00edoch\u00e1na said it was \u201ccontinuing to liaise with the local community in the Saggart area, including residents, businesses and other parties affected by the disruption caused following the serious public disorder that occurred in the area last week and potential for further public gatherings.<\/p>\n<p class=\"indo-ebe0ecc6_root indo-ebe0ecc6_paragraph indo-300db776_none indo-91174671_primary indo-1d70522a_marginbottom5 indo-1d70522a_margintop0 indo-b48c4984_inherit\" style=\"color:var(--color-primary-80)\">\u201cAn Garda S\u00edoch\u00e1na response to this dynamic and evolving situation is and will be fair and proportionate in line with Policing Principles and Functions of An Garda S\u00edoch\u00e1na as set out in the Policing, Security and Community Safety Act 2024,\u201d said the statement.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Lemongrass owner Camilla Grey says closure order is still in place two weeks later and claims Tetrarch is&hellip;\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":158395,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[40],"tags":[9,10,18,33201,13,14,6,19,17,11,12,15,16,5,7,8],"class_list":{"0":"post-158394","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-ireland","8":"tag-breaking-news","9":"tag-breakingnews","10":"tag-eire","11":"tag-fearghal-oconnor","12":"tag-featured-news","13":"tag-featurednews","14":"tag-headlines","15":"tag-ie","16":"tag-ireland","17":"tag-latest-news","18":"tag-latestnews","19":"tag-main-news","20":"tag-mainnews","21":"tag-news","22":"tag-top-stories","23":"tag-topstories"},"share_on_mastodon":{"url":"https:\/\/pubeurope.com\/@ie\/115478849437795395","error":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/158394","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=158394"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/158394\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/158395"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=158394"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=158394"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=158394"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}