Dundalk Stadium profits hit by legal dispute

Dundalk Stadium

Profits at Dundalk Stadium fell by more than 75% last year after the lose of a legal dispute between the racecourse and on-course bookmakers.

Newly filed accounts have revealed that profits last year slumped to just under €200,000 at the all-weather track, down from €843,000 as a result of setting aside nearly €667,000 to cover legal costs.

Earlier this year a number of on-course bookmakers argued they should not have had to cough up extra cash to command pitches, or betting ring positions, at the track when it opened in 2007 after a €35 million redevelopment.

In January, the High Court found that three bookies – Patrick O’Hare, Francis Hyland and John Hughes – were entitled to damages and costs from Dundalk Stadium after they lost their positions in the betting ring for not paying the contribution.

Dundalk Stadium officials had argued that it was a new racecourse in terms of pitches and wanted its on-course bookmakers to contribute €8,000 each towards the development, which converted it into Ireland’s first all-weather track.

However, High Court judge Gerard Hogan ruled in the trio’s favour but didn’t allow them to recover the full estimate of the losses they suffered as a result of losing their pitches in the ring. The course is facing dozens of similar actions from other bookmakers dating back from 2007.

“The company has provided for the damages and estimated costs in the financial statements. The company is considering an appeal to the Court of Appeal. No decision has yet been made in the other cases,” Dundalk said in accounts just filed at the Companies Registration Office.

Despite the off-course legal battle, Dundalk Stadium managed to maintain its turnover level at €3.5 million in 2014. That was helped by better attendance at the track, which was helped by the addition of midweek fixtures during the winter months.

Boylesports refused planning to expand Clanbrassil Street shop

Boylesports on Clanbrassil Street

Boylesports have been refused planning permission to expand their betting shop in Clanbrassil Street.

The betting chain, whose headquarters are in Dundalk, applied to Louth County Council in March for planning permission to convert the vacant Unit 1 of 86 Clanbrassil Street into a bookmakers premises.

Unit 1 of 86 Clanbrassil Street is the former Brass Rail premises, which has been lying idle since the boutique closed its doors last August.

Boylesports had been hoping to extend the ground floor of the bookmakers into Unit 1, as well as carrying out alterations to the front of both buildings but their application was refused by the local authority earlier this week.

Insurance brokers given the go ahead for Chapel Street

9 Chapel Street

A new insurance brokers could be on the way to Chapel Street.

That’s after Brendan Watters was granted conditional planning permission by Louth County Council for an extension of planning permission to convert a house in the street into such a facility.

Mr Watters has been given the go ahead to change the use of 9 Chapel Street into an insurance brokers and financial services office at ground floor level and a one bed apartment at first floor level.

This is an amendment of an original proposal for a bookmakers’ office here.

9 Chapel Street is currently for sale with local estate agents DNG Duffy with an asking price of €65,000.

39-year-old arrested for break-in to Boylesports

Boylesports on Clanbrassil Street

A 39-year-old man was arrested at the weekend in connection with a burglary at a bookmakers in the town in the early hours of yesterday morning.

The incident took place at Boylesports on Clanbrassil Street around 12.15am on Saturday night/Sunday morning.

The man attempted to break-in to the premises, causing €200 worth of damage in the process. He felt after an alarm was activated but was apprehended and arrested a short distance away.

The man has since been charged and bailed to appear before a sitting of Dundalk Circuit Court at a later date.

Boylesports offering a free bet to anyone who flew home to vote

Dundalk-based bookmakers Boylesports are offering a free €5 bet to anyone who flew home to vote in the marriage equality referendum.

All you have to do to claim the free bet is call into any Boylesports shop, display and hand in your boarding card and make your selection.

Boylesports’ PR executive Aoife Heffron said: “It has been overwhelming to see the many hundreds of people coming back to Ireland solely to use their vote on the Marriage Referendum and Age of Presidential Candidates Referendum and as a way of showing our gratitude we want to offer a free bet to anyone who made the journey.”

She added: “With BoyleSports shops staying open until 9.30pm this evening, and polling stations open until 10pm, why not stop into your local shop after you vote with your boarding card and pick up a free bet – just like voting it’s that simple.”

Bid to convert Chapel Street house into insurance brokers

9 Chapel Street

Brendan Watters has applied to Louth County Council for an extension of planning permission to convert a house in Chapel Street into an insurance brokers.

He hopes to change the use of 9 Chapel Street into an insurance brokers and financial services office at ground floor level and a one bed apartment at first floor level.

This is an amendment of an original proposal for a bookmakers’ office here.

9 Chapel Street is currently for sale with local estate agents DNG Duffy with an asking price of €65,000.

Boylesports looking to extend Clanbrassil Street shop

Boylesports plan to expand into the former Brass Rail boutique (on right of the picture)

Boylesports are looking to expand their betting shop in Clanbrassil Street, Talk of the Town can exclusively reveal.

The betting chain, whose headquarters are in Dundalk, have applied for planning permission to convert the vacant Unit 1 of 86 Clanbrassil Street into a bookmakers premises.

Unit 1 of 86 Clanbrassil Street is the former Brass Rail premises, which has been lying idle since the boutique closed its doors last August.

If given the go ahead, Boylesports would be extending the ground floor of the bookmakers into Unit 1, as well as carrying out alterations to the front of both buildings.

Louth County Council are due to decide on the matter by April 29^th.

Bookmakers awarded up to €48,000 for loss of betting ring pitch positions at Dundalk Stadium

Dundalk Stadium

Three bookmakers were awarded between €23,000 and €48,000 by the High Court on Friday arising out of the loss of their betting ring pitch positions at Dundalk Stadium.

The dispute arose following the €35m redevelopment of the stadium in 2007 as an all-weather track.

On Friday Mr Justice Gerard Hogan awarded €48,376 to Newry-based bookie Patrick O’Hare and €41,484 to John Hughes, a prominent racing commentator on British TV. Earlier last month, he also awarded €23,929 to Francis Hyland, an officer of the bookies’ representative body, the Irish National Bookmakers Association.

They represent three test cases on behalf of around 30 bookies who sued Dundalk Racing (1999) Ltd, trading as Dundalk Stadium for breach of contract. The other cases are on hold pending a possible appeal of the awards.

The bookies claimed Dundalk Racing breached their contracts under national rules by demanding an €8,000 capital contribution from each of them towards the redevelopment of the venue before they could return to do business from what had been their established bookie slotsat the racecourse, or pitches as they are known.

Dundalk Racing argued that as it was a new racecourse, and not registered until August 2007, seeking a contribution when it did was not governed by national pitch rules.

Mr Justice Hogan found the re-opened stadium did not amount to a new racecourse for the purpose of the pitch rules and such a contribution could not be exacted from those bookies with established seniority.

The bookies had claimed hundreds of thousands in lost profits as a result of being unable to operate but the judge said he would only allow them recover full losses sustained in the first 12 months from when the stadium re-opened in 2007.

He applied an an 80% reduction for subsequent years because of their failure to mitigate the loss by taking up the pitches. In doing so, he was trying to reflect “the fact there was continuing fault on both sides”.

He further reduced Mr Hughes’ damages by 20% because he was one of a number of people who participated in an illegal boycott of the re-opened stadium.

Bar One have first goalscorer special for Saturday’s EA Sports Cup final

Local bookmakers Bar One Racing have a special offer running for this Saturday’s EA Sports Cup final between Dundalk FC and Shamrock Rovers at Oriel Park.

If you bet on the first goalscorer, the bookmaker – which has offices on the Ramparts, Park Street and Bridge Street – will automatically double your odds should he score again with the 90 minutes.

Saturday’s game kicks-off at 5.45pm and is also live on Setanta Sports. Graham Kelly will referee the match.

Brendan prepares for Voice of Ireland finals

Local singer Brendan McCahey booked his place in The Voice of Ireland final on Sunday evening after impressing the judges yet again with a version of Sam Smith song ‘Stay With Me’

Brendan’s version of the song, in which he played piano, attracted the highest score of the series to date with 28 points out of a possible 30 after full marks from Kian Egan and Jamelia.

Hailing from Shercock in Cavan, Brendan is well known in local music circles having worked for a spell in Beat-It Music in Blackrock where he often sold guitars to his current Voice of Ireland mentor, Bressie.

Indeed, Brendan and Bressie were in the seaside village this morning campaigning for support ahead of the final.

He has previously impressed on the show with covers of The Strypes’ hit ‘You Can’t Judge A Book By The Cover’, Stevie Wonder’s ‘Once In My Life’ and the Roy Orbison classic ‘She’s A Mystery To Me’.

Indeed, Brendan remains the bookmakers’ favourite for The Voice of Ireland title at 2/5, having been made favourite three weeks ago.

Aoife Heffron, PR Executive at Boylesports, commented: “The vast majority of support has been for Brendan McCahey and he has been cut yet again, he is now on offer at 2/5 to win but we could see his price shorten even further ahead of the final on Sunday.”

She added “Kellie Lewis is Brendan’s main rival for the title and at 5/2 may just pip Brendan at the last hurdle and take the title home to Limerick.”