BAILII is celebrating 24 years of free online access to the law! Would you consider making a contribution?
No donation is too small. If every visitor before 31 December gives just £1, it will have a significant impact on BAILII's ability to continue providing free access to the law.
Thank you very much for your support!
[Home] [Databases] [World Law] [Multidatabase Search] [Help] [Feedback] | ||
High Court of Ireland Decisions |
||
You are here: BAILII >> Databases >> High Court of Ireland Decisions >> Barrett v. Linnane [2002] IEHC 20 (20th March, 2002) URL: http://www.bailii.org/ie/cases/IEHC/2002/20.html Cite as: [2002] IEHC 20 |
[New search] [Printable RTF version] [Help]
1. Both
these proceedings were taken together. There were other proceedings in the
Circuit Court record no. 35/95E between Michael J Barrett Plaintiff and Thomas
Dowling and Jennifer Dowling Defendants.
2. Thomas
and Jennifer Dowling own a premises known as the Brew Master which is a
licensed public house at number 93 Main Street Bray which was carved out of
Folio number 2460F of the Register County Wicklow. That Folio is now
registered in the ownership of the Plaintiff. It includes the alleyway known
as the Village Gate Arcade. This arcade runs from the Main Street to a large
car-park in or around the Roman Catholic Parish Church. The Plaintiff is the
owner of this passage and owns at least two of the shops facing onto this
arcade. At various times in the history of the arcade there has been a gate
across the Main Street entrance. Each of the shop keepers has a key, as have
Mr and Mrs Dowling. On the evidence the first shop keeper in the morning opens
the arcade at Main Street, and the last shopkeeper leaving the premises around
6 p.m. in the evening closes and locks the gate.
3. At
the car-park end of the alleyway there is a gateway which enters into what was
obviously, previously some sort of outbuildings or stabling. There is a
restaurant on one side and the kitchen of the restaurant on the other side.
Presumably the passage from one to the other is on the first floor. As one
approaches that end there is a gate on the outside then one passes in with the
restaurant on one side and the kitchen on the other side and meets another gate
which subsequently leads down the arcade and shops. The arcade itself is not
straight so it is impossible to see the other exit from either ends of the
arcade. At the restaurant end there is gate that’s set off from the
car-park and then after one has passed under the archway, and passed the
restaurant and kitchen, there is another gate. These gates are primarily for
security to protect various arcade businesses and also to prevent the misuse of
this alleyway as a toilet.
4. By
an agreement in writing and dated the 23rd of August 1990 the predecessor in
title to Michael J Barrett and Clare Mackin (the personal representative of
Edward Mackim deceased) entered into an agreement whereby consent was granted
to a company entitled Vartry Taverns Limited to assign the residue of its
lease to the Defendants Thomas and Jennifer Dowling for the residue of the
lease then remaining. The original lease had been granted on the 5th October
1961 and made between the Rt. Hon. Sydney Charles, Earl of Pembroke and
Montgomery of the one part and Kathleen Mackin of the other for a term of 99
years. The original lease dated the 5th October 1961 reserved that the lessor
and the owner or occupier of No. 92 Main Street, Bray the tenant, employees and
licensees the right to pass and repass
at
all times on foot
or with vehicles on, over and along the laneway set out on a map annexed before
the said lease. In a further lease dated the 15th July 1977 made between one
Edward Mackin and one Ronald Tucker the lessor demise to the lessee all that
and those the premises known as No. 93 Main Street, Bray, Co. Wicklow with the
provision permitting the lessee together with the use in common with the other
tenants of the lessor in adjoining premises of the laneway at the southern end
of the premises. The laneway in question has been referred to earlier as the
“Arcade”.
5. By
a consent dated the 18th day of October 1989 one Clare Mackin consented to an
assignment of the premises No. 93, Main Street, Bray in the County of Wicklow
then known as MacFadden’s Public House to Vartry Taverns Ltd. subject to
the following conditions:-
6. The
Defendants Thomas Dowling and Jennifer Dowling took the assignment of the said
premises No. 93 Main Street, Bray on the 23rd August 1990 However Mr. and Mrs.
Dowling specifically since April 1999 had adopted the practise of storing and
off sacking kegs of beer in the laneway against a wall and refused to remove
them. Thus Circuit Court proceedings were commenced and subsequently settled.
7. There
are at least two exits from the Brew Master licensed premises at No. 93 Main
Street, Bray to and through this alleyway. The second exit from Main Street
was for the purpose of storing beer barrels. Michael Barrett applied ex parte
for an interim injunction to prohibit the placing of barrels on the arcade. In
the correspondence exhibited in that application the following paragraph
appears in a letter dated the 14th June 1999 from Mr. Barrett’s
solicitors to Mr. and Mrs. Dowling’s solicitors:-
8. The
reply from the Dowling’s solicitors dated the 16th of June 1999, inter
alia,
“The
position is that our clients have a right of way up the laneway for the purpose
of their licensed premises and of course they are entitled to get delivery of
barrels and also of the empty barrels taken away and as far as we are aware our
client never intentionally blocked the right of way and of course
they
have no right to block the right of way
.
9. These
proceedings were settled by documents apparently dated the 26/10/99. That
agreement provides that the Dowling’s will not interfere with Mr.
Barrett’s legal rights in so far as they relate to the arcade save for
their right of way as mentioned in a consent dated the 18th October 1989
BETWEEN Clare Mackin and Vartry Taverns Ltd. (the predecessors in title to Mr.
and Mrs. Dowling). That acknowledges Vartry Taverns Ltd. have no right title
estate or interest in the laneway at the southern end of the premises known as
93 Main Street, Bray except for pedestrian access to and from the
entrances
(note the use of the plural “entrances”) to the rear of the said
premises.” The Court inspected the premises
of
Mr. and Mrs. Dowling and also walked the full length of the arcade accompanied
by a legal representative for both parties. There is the existing gateway
where barrels are taken in and out which hopefully has been resolved by the
afore mentioned litigation which was settled in the Circuit Court. However
inside the premises there is the main entrance on to the Main Street. There
was also another exit and entrance in the next premises on Main Street but that
has now been hived off from the main pub and is a totally separate premises and
has been de-licensed. There is however an entrance onto the laneway or arcade.
It has two modern steel doors against the wall as one looks from the arcade.
However, inside there are old fashioned swing door with an illuminated sign
over it which says “exit”. Having heard all the evidence and
inspected the premises this Court is satisfied that there was and is an exit
from the Brew Master public house onto this arcade for the use of customers and
staff. There may have been occasions when the business was not serious.
Indeed the Brew Master does not seem to have been functioning as a pub at all
at the moment. Mr. and Mrs. Dowling have bought another premises in another
town with bridging finance and they are trying to sell the Brew Master. It is
clear from the evidence, indeed from the previously recited letter from Mr.
Barrett’s solicitor that Mr. Barrett believed that there was no such
right. It is extremely difficult to abolish a right of way. This Court is
satisfied that while the right of way might have been dormant for various
periods but that it did exist and does exist.
10. However,
further proceedings were instituted in the Circuit Court by Equity Civil Bill,
Record No. 18/2000 E between Thomas Dowling and Jennifer Dowling plaintiffs and
Michael Barrett, defendant. That Civil Bill alleges that on the 4th and 5th
March 2000 the defendant (Mr. Barrett) by himself or through his servants or
agents blocked the use of easements by way of locking over two gates more
particularly described and delineated on the map annexed to the Civil Bill.
These were at the Main Street end of the arcade. It has pleaded that it is a
requirement of the fire officer in the locality that this gate be left opened
while the plaintiffs are carrying on their business as publicans as it is a
fire escape. The Civil Bill sought a declaration of an easement for the
defendant’s lands in favour of the plaintiffs for the purpose of their
licensed premises and general damages. Mr. Dowling replaced the original gates
with a similar one save that he has a motor connected to it which would cause
it automatically to open if the fire alarm in his premises went off. Mr.
Barrett insisted that the gates must be closed at 6.00 p.m. and Mr. Dowling
alleges that in particular on or about the 4th or 5th March 2000 Mr. Barrett
had blocked his right of way. In the agreement already mentioned dated the
26th October 1999 the Dowlings’ undertook that no opes shall be created
or any existing opes enlarged on to the said laneway from the Brew Master. This
is a further acknowledgement of the existence of more than one ope on to the
arcade. The acting fire officer, Michael P. Lyons, states in a letter of 23rd
November 1999 written on behalf of James Dunphy the Chief Fire Officer that:-
11. Mr.
Lyons gave oral evidence and was subsequently recalled by the Court. His
evidence will be reviewed later. However, when this was brought to the
attention of Mr. Barrett his solicitor replied on the 8th February 2000 stating:-
12. This
Court is not satisfied that any such limitation exists in any of the documents
of title. However, it is noted that the gates were apparently purchased by
some of the users of the arcade but not including Mr. Barrett. Mr.
Barrett’s replaced them subsequently. They were merely put up as a
protection.
13. Mr.
Barrett took down the gates that were put up by the Dowlings’ who
replaced it with another gate. Both parties seem to have had keys to the
respective gates at all material times. The gates put up by the
Dowlings’ apparently prevented a view up the arcade and it is alleged
would only facilitate burglars! The proceedings Record No. 18/2000 E came
before Her Honour Judge Linnane at Wicklow Circuit Court on the 12th July 2000.
15. This
was signed and sealed by the County Registrar. It was agreed by all parties
that Judge Linnane did retire to her Chamber to consider her judgment before
she came out and made the above order.
16. On
the 24th of July in the year 2000 the matter came before Mr Justice Butler in
the High Court. That Court ordered that the Applicant Michael Barrett do have
leave to apply by way of application for Judicial Review for the reliefs set
forth in paragraph D in the statement Michael J Barrett filed on the 24th of
July 2000 on the grounds set forth at paragraph E of the said application. But
the Court also ordered Mr Barrett to pay such damages to Mr and Mrs Dowling as
they may have suffered by reason of this order. The Order of the Circuit Court
Judge is stayed on the terms expressed in the order. The reliefs sought were:-
17. E(i)
The first named respondent (hereinafter referred to as the Judge) erred and
acted without jurisdiction or alternatively exceeded her jurisdiction and/or
acted otherwise than in accordance with the principles of natural and
constitutional justice and otherwise and in accordance with law in refusing to
accede to the application of Counsel and Solicitor on behalf of the applicant
for a case to be stated to the Supreme Court.
18. As
regards the de-licensing of part of the premises facing onto Main Street and
effectively removing an existing exit from the licensed premises there was a
de-licensing application dated the 12th of November 1999 and an Order by His
Honour Judge Groarke on the 16th of November 1999 granting the licensee’s
application and a certificate for a new excise license be granted in respect of
the premises known as The Brew situated at 93 Main Street delineated on a map
lodged in Court. The matter then came before Judge Linnane on the 28th of July
2000 and the Court being satisfied and this being set out on the Order of the
18th of November 1999 that pursuant to the Order of the Court the 16th of
November 1999 so that a certificate do issue.
19. The
authorities to which the Court was referred were numerous. The Court itself
drew attention to a similar case of
Green
.v. Rozen
1955 2 AER 797 and also to the case concerning the power of counsel to settle
cases involving the late Mr George Murnaghan (as he then was).
20. The
case took many days. At an early stage the Court pointed out its understanding
of the appropriate law.
21. Counsel
on both sides accepted that this is the correct statement of law The Court
pointed out that proceedings were going to cost a great deal of money and time
that these people were neighbours and that it was in the interest of both
parties to make a settlement, so the Court facilitated discussion to enable the
parties to come to a happy conclusion. Then the Court insisted on proceeding
with the case. It was informed that a few more minutes would settle it. The
Court pointed it out that negotiations could continue while the evidence was
being heard. The hearing proceeded for several days more. Towards the end of
the hearing the Court was shocked to find that Mr Barrett and Mr and Mrs
Dowling had never spoken once to each other and still are not on talking terms.
22. Initially
the Dowlings had two exits onto the Main Street but they sold part of it and
thereby, reduced the number of doors onto Main Street to one. The other door
being apparently an access to the upstairs part of the premises which was
occupied by a dentist. This Court is satisfied that Judge Linnane heard
Counsel on both sides she heard they could not settle the matter in such a way
as to enable Mr Dowling the benefit of a fire escape route when selling his
premises. Both sides agreed that their respective fire advisors could meet
with the fire officer and see what could be agreed. The two fire advisory
consultants did agree on a technical solution, but however Mr Curran who was
acting on Mr Barretts behalf made it clear at all stages that everything was
subject to the approval of his client. He has stated so in evidence and in an
Affidavit. It is confirmed by Mr Lyons, the acting fire officer, that he too
was so informed. Nothing was agreed until everything was agreed. Mr.
Barrett’s approval was essential.
23. The
proposed solution was that if the push-bars on the door into the arcade were
pushed it would automatically open the gates onto the Main Street. However in
Mr Barrett’s view it would undoubtedly be a handing of control of the
arcade to Mr and Mrs Dowling. He had also grave concern about night time
access to the arcade. At the resumed hearing on the 21st of July Mr Toal on
behalf of Mr Barrett asked to be allowed to call evidence. Judge Linnane took
the view that everything which had been agreed on the 12th of July had not been
fully implemented and refused to hear Mr Barrett or any other evidence, she did
hear Mr Fox the electrical advisor to Mr and Mrs Dowling. She also heard Mr
Lyons the acting fire officer who acknowledged that Mr Curran had said he had
no concluded instructions from Mr Barrett. It, it was merely an exploratory
meeting from his point of view. However the Judge took no heed of that matter.
She took the view that Mr Barrett was changing his mind. She made apparently
an Order requiring the works to be done forthwith. Mr Toal asked her to state
a case for the opinion of the Supreme Court to question whether an ordinary
pedestrian right of way can be converted from a owner into a fire exit for
public safety. The judge rejected that application. An application was mooted
on the 31st of July to hold the Dowlings in contempt by continuing to erect
and make operative their gates. These matters came before Mr Justice Finnegan
(as he then was) on the 9th of August 2000. The Dowlings consented to
deactivate the system until further order or determination of these proceedings.
24.
It
was argued that the learned Circuit Judge had made two Orders but that only one
Order was being impugned. It might have been neater if they impugned both
Orders. However the Court is satisfied that the initial Order is merely by way
of an interim Order and is subsumed into the subsequent Order so the Court was
satisfied that both Orders had to be read one with the other and that both
Orders are before this Court. The draft Order was prepared by the solicitor
for the Dowlings and was not submitted to Mr Barrett or his solicitors for
approval. The Order of the 12th of July recites that the matters be adjourned
until the 31st of July to allow the agreement to be implemented. The two
Orders namely the 12th July and the 21st July were in fact drawn up and
certified on the 26th of July so that neither Order was before the Circuit
Court on the date of its making. Mr Barrett does not deny that there was some
consent as of the 12th of July however his case is that he had consented to
see if a system could be organised and a modus vivendi would be acceptable to
himself and it was deemed workable by the engineers and acceptable to the fire
officer. He is disputing that he ever agreed to the purported structure of
the consent in the Order. Indeed the Order is certainly odd in that it deals
with the property interests of other parties who are not before the Court and
were not parties to any “consent”.
25. Although
initially Mr Barrett seemed to suggest that there was no right of way it was
conceded by his Counsel very properly that there was an emergency exit. They
pointed to the fact that the two steel doors in the arcade could not be opened
from the outside but only from the inside and that is what the fire officer and
the Dowlings were trying to do was expand this right of way with a greater
burden on the other tenants. The fire officer could not force Mr Barrett to do
anything. Mr Barrett’s contention is that when the matter came before
the learned Circuit Judge on the 12th of July the judge asked whether Mr
Barrett was prepared to go along with the fire officers requirements. Mr
Barrett attempted to express that both sides get together and see if the matter
could be resolved to the fire officers satisfaction so the matter was put back
from the 12th to the 21st of July. When the matter came back to Court on the
21st the Dowlings’ through their Counsel said everything had been agreed
and Mr Barrett stated through his Counsel that everything had not been agreed.
The Circuit judge heard evidence from the Dowlings’ side and concluded
that there had been an agreement but would not allow Counsel for Mr Barrett to
call his client and Mr Barrett had no opportunity to make the point that he did
not have to do anything to satisfy the fire officer. These requirements were
being imposed on the Dowlings. In the opinion of this Court the Circuit judge
seems to have been unfair in her handling of the matter. Of course she was
probably familiar with the litigation between these parties and obviously was
doing her best to try and resolve a persisting feud.
26. The
Court from early in the case was concerned about the increased user which might
occur if there were a fire or other emergency in the licensed premises. Also
whether the Dowlings’ should control the exit from the arcade; that if a
door were opened in their premises it would automatically open the exit from
the arcade to the Main Street. The fire officer did not want people pouring
out into the arcade and not being able to escape therefrom.
27. Both
parties are comparatively new arrivals in this area. Mr Barrett purchased his
property from Clare Mackin in October 1997. Mr Barrett agreed he did not
believe at first the Dowlings had any right of access to the arcade but
accepted in evidence and indeed in earlier proceedings that they had access
for the purpose of bringing in and removing barrels and other kegs. Mr Barrett
had put up a control access system with the consent of other users of the
arcade but had not involved the Dowlings’. In February 2000 the shutter
was taken down to be replaced by an electrified shutter the Dowlings’
attached and controlled by The Brew public house. This was done without
consultation. Mr Barrett had in fact ordered ornate gates at both ends of the
arcade. He was shocked to find his original gates or shutter were removed and
a new shutter which was actually solid could not be seen through and was
mechanised from The Brew public house and was controlled from The Brew public
house. Mr Barrett in his evidence persisted in the view that nothing was
agreed unless everything was agreed. Mr Lyons was during the periods 1999 and
2000 or of it employed as a fire prevention officer under the Chief Fire
Officer in the Wicklow County Council. He had inspected the premises on the
23rd of November 1999. To assist Mr and Mrs Dowling in their application for
de-licensing part of the premises. He concedes that one can trade without
complying with the fire officers requirements. He stated that it was
necessary to have a second fire exit because of the flooring area of the
premises allows more than 50 people to be on the premises at any one time and
that the distance from the furthest point on the premises to a single fire exit
is exceeded. He found that the gates at both ends of the arcade were padlocked
at night making it an enclosed area. He was relying on escape regulations made
in 1985 and in pursuance of the Fire Services Act 1981.
28. He
attended Wicklow Circuit Court on the 12th of July 2000. He said that Judge
Linnane wished the parties to have their technical representatives to explore
and to come to some sort of common agreement which was very possible and to
return to the Court with some form of technical solution that was acceptable to
Mr Lyons on behalf of the fire authority. He felt according to Mr Lyons that
it would be possible to come to common understanding and an agreeable solution
to the issues raised. Mr Lyons said that Mr Fox acting on behalf of the
Dowlings had put up a suggestion which he found acceptable but that he had no
dealings with Mr Barrett’s side at that stage. Therefore it wasn’t
the parties who had agreed, but merely Mr Dowlings’ representative. He
never told the Court that there had been agreements between the parties. On
the 18th of July he met Mr Fox on behalf of the Dowlings’ and Mr Curran
on behalf of Mr Barrett at the Fire Station in Bray. He confirms that Mr
Curran explained that he was there to explore and to discuss a technical
solution on behalf of Mr Barrett but he did make the qualifying point that he
wasn’t in a position to make a decision, and that he wasn’t
instructed to make a decision. “It appeared to me that Mr Fox was able
to act in that part for the Dowlings certainly I was able to act on that part
for the Fire Authority, but Mr Curran specifically made the point that he was
not in a position to actually make a definitive decision on behalf of his
party's side.” Mr Lyons had not further contact with Mr Curran, he
received a final specification from Mr Fox by fax the 20th of July and was
satisfied with it. Mr Lyons was absolutely certain that he informed the
Circuit Court Judge of his own understanding on the 21st of July that Mr Curran
on behalf of Mr Barrett had made the point that he was not in a position to
authorise any agreement. He was absolutely certain that before he left the
witness box he made the point to the Circuit Judge because Mr Curran had
expressed it on more than one occasion at their meeting on the 18th of July.
He made it clear to the Circuit Judge that this proposal was acceptable to him
and to Mr Fox but that Mr Curran had not committed himself and could not commit
himself, that really it was a matter for Mr Barrett and that Mr Barrett had not
said yes or no. The Circuit Judge asked him if there was agreement between
the parties as to the solution would I be in a position to give a letter of no
objection and Mr Lyons confirmed that he would. He did in fact subsequently
give such a letter. Mr Lyons wrote to the Dowlings' on the 21st of July, he
also sent a letter to the County Registrar because he felt it was necessary to
put in the qualification that neither in writing or orally had the Fire
Authority received confirmation that Mr Barretts side had agreed to the
technical solution that had been reached.
29. Mr
Dowling removed the subsisting roller shutter which had been erected by the
traders in the arcade and replaced it with an electrical motor connected to
his fire alarm so that if his alarm went off it would raise the shutters. The
fire officer expressed after the 12th of June his specific view was that he
was to meet with technical representatives of the two parties to thrash out and
to explore and try to come to an agreement on the technical solution that the
parties could agree to that would balance all the rights and the views of the
different parties. Mr Barrett was concerned about a set of push bars that were
on the side entrance that were within the curtilage of pub. They were not
properly under his control. However his expert Mr Curran raised two other
problems, one being the emergency lighting and the other being that the
mechanism on the gate were on the wrong side from where it should be. The fire
officer agreed that these were nothing more than a snag list. Also Mr Barrett
was very conscious and very protective of his rights as a freeholder and he
saw the behaviour of the Dowlings' as an invasion of freehold rights. The
fire officer thought the problems were minor and could easily be resolved. The
Court considered in the fire safety regulations mainly regarding the escape
routes in particular paragraph 249 of the 1985 Statutory Instrument. If a fire
started if there was nobody on the premises of the public house to entriger
the motor on the gate and the gate would not automatically open. The fire
officer took the view that the side door with the push bars was and always had
been the exit from the pub. The fire officer had no real contact with Mr
Barrett personally about the fire requirements not merely of the public house
but of the arcade up to and including the restaurant.
30. Mr
Toal, Barrister at Law, gave evidence that he attended Wicklow Circuit Court
before Judge Linnane the 12th of July 2000. He was lead by Mr Leonard SC. The
learned Circuit judge took the view there were two conflicting systems. She
suggested that it should be possible to agree a compromise between the
respective desires of both parties. It should be possible for both parties to
agree and save a great deal of time and trouble and expense. Mr Toal was sent
back to talk to Mr Barrett about his approach to the consent order which the
judge suggested. To quote Mr Toal:-
31.
It was agreed that the matter would go for exploratory talks. Mr Toal said
there was certainly not the agreements that the Dowlings' should go ahead and
do works on the gates between the 12th of July and the adjourned date. Indeed
his Solicitor wrote a letter on the 13th July making this point impliedly. Mr
Toal understandably was not very clear about the matter as he hadn’t seen
the purported order prior to the present proceedings. However he is clear that
the order is incorrect where it states “and upon the Court being advised
that the matter had been agreed between the parties to the satisfaction of the
fire officer” is not correct. On the 12th of July the agreement was to
go off and see if a regime could be put in place that would satisfy both
parties whatever was agreed between the parties but it would be the overriding
acceptance by the fire officer. The fire officer did not on the 12th of July
ask to view the respective systems. At the resumed hearing Counsel for the
Dowlings' advised the Circuit Judge that the matter had been put back with a
view to see if matters in the alleged consent Order (which hadn’t yet
been finalised) had been put into place. He replied that the essentials of the
case had been settled and the only issue was one relating to costs. Mr Toal
says on the first available opportunity that he had he addressed the Court and
advised it that in so far as an agreement had been reached on the previous
occasion in Court it had proven impossible from a practical point of view to
bring it any further than just an agreement and he said that this arose for a
variety of different reasons, on one hand the practical difficulties the
agreement had not been reached in so far as it was possible to satisfy both
parties on the one hand, but he then went on to advise the judge that there
were weighty and significant legal arguments to be brought to bear on the case.
Mr Toal thought they were so significant that he was going to advise her to
stay the case and seek the opinion of the Supreme Court on points of law. He
listed five points. The Circuit Judge who was well within her jurisdiction
declined to state a case to the Supreme Court. Mr Fox said that Mr Barrett was
present at the meeting and had agreed to everything. Mr Toal pressed the judge
several times to allow Mr Barrett to refute the evidence of Mr Fox, but the
judge seemed satisfied that the matter was concluded so as not to be revisited
despite Affidavits from other witnesses to the contrary Mr Toal was very clear
Mr Barrett had not changed his mind. Mr Toal never told the Court that his
client had changed his mind. According to some of the evidence Mr Curran was
not present. He was the advisor to Mr Barrett. The learned Circuit judge
apparently asked was he present but was told he was not. Mr Toal was very
insistent that the matter had been adjourned and was exploring the
possibilities of getting agreement of the technical problem and at all times he
and his client Mr Barrett were concerned about the erosion of Mr Barretts
property rights if the control of this gateway was given over to Mr Dowling.
32. It
is clear to this Court that the Circuit judge who had previous experience of
both parties was trying to knock their heads together. She was trying to get a
solution acceptable to both parties but primarily to satisfy the needs of the
fire officer. She was obviously very well intentioned and perhaps slightly
distressed at the failure of the two parties to sort out a relatively simple
matter. The Court later considered the extraordinary way in which both orders
were perfected. However in the view of this Court she should have allowed Mr
Barrett to give evidence and if necessary to hear Mr Curran. As well as that
the purported Order seems to this Court very wide ranging. It seeks to impugn
the property rights of other persons who are not parties to these proceedings
in that they are the traders and the restaurant which was admittedly owned by
Mr Barrett but was licensed to another person. Mr Toal is very clear that the
Order which was perfected on the 26th of July was not an accurate reflection of
the Courts decision.
33. There
was an application for Judicial Review before the actual draft Order was
perfected by the County Registrar. Mr Toal seems to think the perfected Order
was two Orders. When we consider Mr Murphy’s evidence this may well be
so.
34. It
is clear having reviewed the evidence that Mr Barrett and his legal team were
at odds with the Dowlings' and their team about what actually happened on the
12th of July. It also appears that Mr Lyons the fire officer was not available
for part of the time between the 12th to the 21st. It appears that a letter
dated the 25th of July sending in the two draft orders of the 12th to the 21st
of July to the County Registrar were sent by the solicitor for the Dowling.
That letter is dated a day after Mr Justice Butler had given an order
restraining the stay of the Order in question. This letter had not originally
been discovered by the Defendant.
35. In
the arcade there are two adjoining shops run respectively by a father and son
both named Hugh Taylor. One was a hardware shop and the other was a locksmith
and they have been there since July of 1983. Mr Hugh Taylor senior said that
there had always been a gate on the arcade. When he came in 1983 it was a
wooden single gate. He was present in the Circuit Court when he heard the
Circuit judge say that the cost of maintaining the gates would be borne by the
traders. He was a trader. He was not a part of these proceedings, he had
never consented to the Order nor would he.
36. That
in itself would condemn the Order. The Dowlings' had commenced to open the
gates and on occasion leave them open apparently for long periods until the
Court granted an injunction on the 8th of October last. Until recently it was
the last trader out who closed the gate and put on the lock and chain. Every
trader including the Dowlings' had a key. This witness said on several
occasions he saw the gates open when they should have been closed and locked.
Mr Walsh argued that this evidence was irrelevant and the Court had already
granted an injunction and admitted the evidence. On one occasion Mrs Dowling
stated that she could have the gates open 24 hours as they had a right of
access. Mr Taylor told her her access was not being denied but for security
reasons the gates should not be left wide open. Counsel state that Mrs
Dowling would say that any time they left the gates open that they were on the
premises. Counsel suggested that the premises were never at risk during the
time that the gates were open by his client. It is clear that all the parties
and the owners of the various shops in the arcade want gates. The traders
would be perfectly happy with the traditional lock and chain.
37. The
original wooden gate is now an ornament screwed to the wall at the beginning
of the arcade. The gate was more or less permanent except at one period when
the front of the premises was being replaced. Both Mr Taylors found the old
system satisfactory and are worried about the new system because “the pub
controls the feature totally and we are only linking into their system”.
Ms Mackin is familiar with the arcade for about 35 years. Her late husband
owned it. He ran what is now the Dowlings' pub and was known at that time as
Tartan Lounge. He also owned and ran the arcade. The shops were built about
23 years ago. She says that the doors from the public house were never used in
connection with the public house. They could be used for bringing in kegs of
beer and so on. She maintains there was no door leading into the arcade at her
time. That door and the exit were put in by her successor in title. She says
that it was built around the same time as the arcade was built which would be
about 23 years ago, namely 1978. She believed that it was the Dowlings' who
put up the steel doors, they could only be opened from the inside. She did see
those doors open during the daytime quite often. She stated that there has
always been a gate of some sort where the arcade meets Main Street except
during the times when the front of the premises was being reconstructed. The
padlock and chain system always worked perfectly in her view. On hearing a
report she went down after 7 p.m and found the gates open. When she attempted
to close them Mr and Mrs Dowling interfered and told her to leave them alone.
Mr Dowling did eventually close them but they were open at 7 a.m. the next
morning. Mrs Meckins evidence is very important so that these steel doors
which was apparently there the time the arcade was built in
1978. Inside those steel doors there are the usual ordinary doors that are
associated with a pubic house and which look antique. It has the lighted sign
indicating an exit over it. The exit can be clearly seen by anyone sitting in
the bar. The Court indicated that it is very difficult to abandon a Right of
Way. It seems as a matter of probability that there is a Right of Way from
this pub out onto the Main Street. The Court also indicated that the owner of
the arcade is entitled to put a gate, but that whoever uses the gate must
close it after them. All persons rightfully using the Right of Way must have a
key to open and close the obstruction. That statement of the law was accepted
by Counsel on both sides. Mr Keane for Mr Barrett accepts his clients initial
contention that there was no Right of Way but he has resiled from that position
at an early date. Mr Walsh agrees that his clients opening premises at all
hours of the day and night and leaving the gate open was reprehensible
behaviour. Mr Curran is strongly of the view that the whole intention of the
week after the 12th was to enter into negotiations to see how the fire officers
requirements could be satisfied. Mr Curran suggested that something be put on
the post of the gate to cause it to open. The fire alarm is frequently
activated accidentally with no cause and that it might mean that the gates may
suddenly open at two in the morning as the result of a false alarm. The fire
officer added three items to his requirements after the Order of the 12th of
July. Firstly that the door leading from the public house into the lane way
should not have a break glass unit next to it, but it should have a push bar
and that push bar should activate the fire alarm and open the gates. Secondly
the arcade should be illuminated at night time or during darkness. Thirdly
while not a request of the fire officer, a point raised by Mr Keane as regard
to the false alarm of the public house, the manner in which the fire alarm
should be deactivated from the gates when the public house is not occupied.
38. The
Court has already held that the Order of the 12th of July is before this Court
and it is absorbed into the Order of the 21st of July. However the Orders were
drawn by Mr Murphy solicitor for the Dowlings', sent to the County Registrar
and possibly to the judge, corrected and returned to Mr Murphy. Solicitors
for Mr Barrett had no input. If that is the system in the Circuit Court it is
a bad system and this Court is satisfied that it can and should deal with the
Orders of the 12th and the 21st of July. Mr Walsh stressed very strongly that
this order was never challenged or appealed or judicially reviewed. Mr Walsh
alleged that Mr Barretts behaviour was done to interfere with the Dowlings'
prospect of selling their public house and therefore suffered damages. Mr
Dowling bought the pub in 1989 and is joint owner of it with his wife. Mr
Dowling said that he was present in Court and that the Circuit Judge asked the
legal team representing Mr Barrett did they consent to the Order. They said
they did. Mr Dowling disagrees with a lot of witnesses when he says that there
was no gateway for about 5 years. The rest of the evidence suggests that there
was a gateway there at all times save for the period when the front was being
restructured. His view is not supported by Ms Meckin or either of the Mr
Taylors who gave evidence or Mr Barrett. There was no gate there until Mr
Dowling and the other traders erected a shutter in either 1994 or 1995. He
insisted it was not there before 1994. He insists that there was no gate from
when he purchased the premises in December 1989 to 1994-1995 or shutter or
division. The original premises he purchased were number 93/94. In the year
2000 he decided to de-license part of the premises. Last October while this
case was at hearing Mr and Mrs Dowling opened the gates and left them open.
They did this they said out of a sense of frustration. The Dowlings' through
their Counsel and indeed Mr Dowling himself accepts they should not have done
that. The Court explained that if there were a gate it was their right to open
it to get through, exercising the Right of Way, but they must close the gates
after them. The gate in question had been put up by the traders themselves for
security and Mr Dowling had contributed. Mrs Meckin who was the owner of the
arcade at the time gave permission. Mr Dowling himself took down that gate in
February 2000 and replaced it with a very similar shutter but not identical,
which was electrified through his alarm system. After Mr Dowling put up his
electric shutter Mr Barrett took it down and at present the gate is one
provided by Mr Barrett. Mr Dowling worked on the basis that there was
agreement to the electrification of the gate. Mr Keane in his cross
examination of Mr Dowling succeeded in establishing in great part that Mr
Barrett did not have anything to do with the loss of purported sales. Of
course the premises can be used without the fire officers certificate if there
are less than 50 people on the premises. Another trader Mr Brennan who has
been there since 1976 swore that there was never a gate there until 1995, Mr
Brennan however stated he was an “ideal tenant” but it appears that
in fact he was sued for arrears of rent by Mr Barrett and he counter claims
against Mr Barrett regarding repairs to the arcade and the dangerous condition
of the arcade. He lost the counter claim, Mr Barrett won the claim. Mr
Brennan says this was due to the fact that his wife had just had triplets and
that “he couldn’t give it his best shot” The Court must
state that Mr Brennan was to put it mildly an unsatisfactory witness. Next
witness was Mr Fox who was the fire safety advisor to Mr Barrett. Much of the
requirements of the local authority could be fixed by a vendor or purchaser
summons of “The Brew”. However the major concern of the fire
department was the fire exit at the side of the pub. If you escaped through
the existing side door you would enter a dead end situation because you
wouldn’t be able to get away safely onto the Main Street. The fire
officers required that there should be lighting in the arcade so people could
escape from the pub away to the Main Street. Mr Fox undertook on oath to the
Circuit Judge that he would electrify the gates and while doing so to consult
with Mr Barretts fire expert Mr Curran and the electrification process was to
be carried out by Friday the 21st of July. The restaurant at the far end of
the arcade beside the car park was owned by Mr Barrett. He wanted some sort of
buzzer whereby if someone wants to come to the restaurant from Main Street
could press the buzzer and then the manager of the restaurant could open the
gate on the Main Street. Mr Fox was anxious to accommodate everyone. However
his clients main concern was so that they could sell the pub. Mr Fox was open
minded to any request that was going to be put forward so long as they were
reasonable. The fire officer wanted an illuminated sign facing up the arcade
from the entrance on Main Street indicating that it was an emergency exit. If
you wanted a push bar on the exit door in the pub Mr Fox said that this was no
problem. There was a meeting on the 18th of July between the two advisors and
Mr Barrett was present and the fire officer. Mr Barrett was concerned that the
fire alarm might go off during the night and the pub would actually be empty
yet the door to the arcade would be open. It was suggested that when the pub
was closing they would disconnect it from the fire alarm system at night time.
At the resumed hearing on the 21st, Mr Toal explained that they didn’t
want a bogus system of electrification to continue. Judge Linnane was not
happy because Mr Fox had given undertakings on oath the previous week to have
the work installed and completed by that Friday, so she asked to have the work
done by the 27th of July a Thursday. Mr Fox was asked by the judge to come
back to the witness box. The judge asked Mr Fox why the works were not done.
Mr Fox was still under oath and was told by the Circuit judge to go ahead and
get the gates electrified. The fire officer presented a letter saying that he
was satisfied on this occasion. The Court was satisfied with this letter and
directed Mr Fox to carry out work to be done by the 27th of July. Mr Fox
agrees that Mr Curran did not have power to agree anything unless and until his
client Mr Barrett had agreed to it. He agrees “Nothing is agreed until
everything is agreed”.
39. Mr
Leonard SC gave evidence that he lead Mr Toal on behalf of Mr Barrett on the
12th of July. He believed it would be a full hearing of the equity
proceedings. However he says that after he had stated whom he
represented” the judge intervened to make a comment that she had read all
the various Affidavits and she knew all about this thing. He got a distinct
feeling almost from the word go, that we were all “heading in the wrong
direction”. Now maybe I should have stopped and said I am here to deal
with the Right of Way and because a row with the judge but I would try and
avoid that kind of scene as much as I can. It’s not really my style. Mr
Walsh opened the case with a comment about why we were all in Court; namely
that his clients had entered into a contract to sell the premises and they
could not sell the premises unless the fire officers requirements were met. He
then asserted a history relating to the manner in which gates had been put up
and taken down and that history did not accord with my insertions in the letter
of the 4th of July. It was at that stage as I say in the Affidavit “I
stood up and explained what the situation was. I have gone through that in the
Affidavit in some detail while I should say is that I did my very best on
Sunday to write out in my own handwriting a careful and accurate statement of
what has happened ”.
40. His
recollection said Mr Walsh spoke first and he spoke and then Mr Walsh
intervened and said something like “My clients will do whatever the fire
officer requires”. Mr. Leonard explained to he judge that his client
was outraged at what was going on and that he did not see that he should be
forced to comply with something in the way in which it was done. But firstly
Mr Dowling had put up a shutter without Mr Barretts permission. At the time
that Mr Barrett was away on holidays or something and at that stage Mr Barrett
had already purchased a new gate which he was going to install. Mr Walsh was
saying that his clients are already proceeding to wire up the system on Mr
Barretts property without Mr Barrett ever having given permission for it. The
judge kept saying:- “What is your clients objection to what the Dowlings
are doing, what is the problem with having a system which is more secure for
the traders and will suit the Dowlings?” He said that the judge
“was more interested in forcing the parties to compromise from the bench
during the course of the hearing”. He felt that they should have gone for
a declaration as to the nature and extent of their Right of Way rather than
seeking to do it first and then wait for an injunction. Mr Leonard explained
that his client (Mr Barrett) tried to put in a gate the same system that was in
operation at the time, namely the lock on the gate would be open and shut by
the first and last person to using it. There was a restaurant at the top near
the church and it was intended that the restaurant would be opened in the
evenings and that a video control system of some sort was going to be installed
with the new system. This was the change that Mr Barrett was making to the
pre-existing system. This change would be to facilitate the restaurant. Mr
Leonard deemed that the intention was that if someone on Main Street pressed a
button it would activate an alarm inside in the restaurant so someone there
could check to see who it was and discussion could take place. The gates could
be opened electronically by the restaurant and closed electronically as the
people came in. Mr Leonard was explaining to the Circuit Judge that Mr Barrett
had done nothing wrong but he was explaining what he intended to do. Mr
Barrett had always intended to electrify the gates, he naturally wanted to keep
control of it. The judge asked the question could what Mr Walsh was proposing
to do for the Dowlings would his system be modified to meet the restaurant
owners requirements, that is namely Mr Barrett. Mr Walsh SC had previously
stated that his client was prepared to do anything at his own expense to meet
the fire officer’s requirements. “We were than asked would we go
along with that”. After a pause word came back from Mr Barrett that he
would consent to see if the two systems could be merged or modified to meet the
fire officers requirements. The question which Mr Leonard was asked by the
Court and which he put to Mr Barrett was whether Mr Walsh’s system could
be modified to meet Mr Barretts requirements. Mr Leonard remembers that the
judge interjected when he stated that the gates had always been locked after
hours, the judge made a remark at one stage that circumstances can change, in
other words what had been a perfectly acceptable practice for 30 years or so
apparently could become an unacceptable practice. He adds “this is why
she was pushing to get Mr Barrett to agree to something that suited the
Dowlings” He has fear that there was no judicial determination in
relation to the Rights of Way”. The hearing was about Mr Walsh’s
clients problems about a fire escape for the pub”.
41. Basically
the concern of Mr Walsh at the Court was the Dowlings (his clients) had agreed
to sell the property and could not sell it because they couldn’t get the
fire officers certification. Mr Walsh was looking for a fire escape and
nothing else”. The Order of the 12th of July states that the matters had
been agreed between the parties to the satisfaction of the fire officer. Mr
Leonard says that is absolutely incorrect. No one told the Court matters had
been agreed between the parties to the satisfaction of the fire officer. Mr
Leonards concedes that the Order of 12th of July does not correspond with what
happened at all. Mr Leonard does not remember the judge saying “By
Consent”. The intention was that the gates were to be electronically
controlled by The Brew Public House and by the restaurant. It could be opened
by any keyholder. The Dowling’s in the view of his Counsel had been
reconciled to something of that nature. Mr Leonard took the view that some of
the matters in the Order of the 12th of July were imposed by the Trial Judge
and not consented to by the parties.
While
there is some confusion on the matter this Court is satisfied as a matter of
probability there was a key since Mr Hugh Taylor arrived in 1983 to a gate at
the Main Street Junction for this lane. In fact it was known at that time as
“The Village Gate Arcade”. Mr Dowling who is comparatively new to
the area does not accept that proposition. The gate was removed for a period
during which the front of the premises had been revamped. The Court is
satisfied that for most of the relevant time there was a gate. A gate was put
up by Mr Dowling and the other traders in 1995. In early 2000, without the
consent of Mr Barrett, the Dowlings put in an electrified gate which was
basically controlled from his premises. The Court at an early stage had stated
that the owner of the lands had power to put up gates as long as he provided a
key to all the legal users. That was accepted by Counsel on both sides. By
the electrified gates put up by Mr Dowling, there was an ascertion of a right
so to do. In that he was mistaken. He had no such right. Mr Barrett was away
at the time and on his return he removed the gates. He had already ordered
gates. These new gates were then placed in position and they are presently
there. Mr Dowling electrified these gates, he says in accordance with a
Consent Order of the 12th of July 2000, and which are controlled from his
premises. However in August there were de-electrified. This Court is
satisfied that the Order of the 12th of July and indeed also the Order of the
21st of July were drafted, presented, and approved on the unilateral
application of the defendants without the knowledge or approval of the
Plaintiff, and were drawn up two days after the Plaintiff’s successful
application for judicial review on the 24th of July 2000 and the alleged
doctoring of the Order by the judge or registrar. Long before Mr Barrett was
involved directly in the barrier in the arcades there had been several
attempts to sell the premises. The purchaser’s solicitors refused
because they were not satisfied there was a marketable title. The matter could
possibly have been resolved by a vendor and purchaser summons. Basically Mr
Barrett concedes now that the Dowlings have a Right of Way but that it is a
restricted one, it is not what would be required to enable it be a Right of Way
for the purposes of their licensed premises.
42. Mr
Dowling had explained his frustration due to his inability to sell his premises
without an adequate fire escape. However on many occasions he took the law
into his own hands which he most certainly should not have done. He opened
the gates on a number of occasions when there was actually no need for them to
be open and insisted they remain open.
43. There
is no doubt that after the 12th of July both sides took a different view of
what was agreed or not agreed. A great deal of the evidence was based on their
understanding of what had happened in the Circuit Court.
44. Mr
Fox stated that he had undertaken to the Circuit judge to do the work and it
was not done when he returned on the 21st of July but he undertook to do it
then because the judge was displeased. By the 27th of July it was done.
45. This
Court then recalled Mr Lyons who at the relevant time had been the acting fire
officer. As far as he was concerned the licensed premises finished at the wall
of the public house and did not include the arcade. He believes that he
pointed out to the Dowlings and their representatives that it was a matter of
negotiation between themselves and whoever owned the arcade because he had
actually never met Mr Barrett through all that time. He agreed with the Court
that there were other ways in dealing with the problem of having some sort of a
gate which could be readily accessible to anyone in the case of an emergency
such as a fire. He agrees it was really left for negotiation between the two
parties. He was not insisting on it or enforcing it in any way. As far as he
was concerned it was a solution, it was a proper solution. It was a matter for
the respective experts to come up with solutions, to notify him of the consent
of both their respective parties. This witness confirmed the evidence of Mr
Curran that as far as Mr Barrett was concerned nothing was agreed until
everything was agreed. In fact it was said at the beginning of their meeting
and at the end of it. Mr Lyons confirmed that there was at least one fire exit
from the licensed premises into the arcade. He was quite satisfied that there
was an exit where the exit sign showed inside in the licensed premises. Mr
Lyons also had suggested that there should be some sort of emergency lighting
in the arcade, that it would be required if the restaurant at the top of the
arcade was to use it as an emergency exit and why not do it now? It was not an
essential item but it would benefit both parties. Gates could be automatically
opened by someone using the exit into the arcade from the pub but also
there’s a break glass unit beside the exit which you could press and thus
open the gates. So anyone in the alley way could get out if they wanted to,
there was absolutely no problem with that. Mr Dooley is one of four
auctioneers which specialise in the sale of public houses. He sold the
premises in Arklow to the Dowlings in November 1998. They had put it
“quietly” on Mr Dooley’s books to sell the premises in Bray
from about December 1998. Mr Dooley was notified by Mr Barrett that the
Dowlings had no Right of Way to his arcade from their premises. Mr Barrett had
contacted Mr Dooley to say that he understood the pub was for sale and did he
(Mr Dooley) understand that there was no Right of Way attached to the pub?
46. It
would appear that the first proposed contract for the sale provided that the
purchasers would negotiate the purchase of the lane way adjacent to the
property known as the village arcade and that the contract was signed subject
to this purchase going ahead. In the first contract Dowlings refused to pay
anything towards the cost of purchasing the Right of Way because they
maintained they had one according to their solicitor Mr Brennan. Mr Brennan
was present as solicitor for the Dowlings on the 12th of July as the judge felt
there was very little between the parties and she gave time for further
negotiations. Then it appeared that an agreement had been reached between the
respective engineers and she called the fire officer and Mr Fox. She took down
what they said and she adjourned the case and said she’d give judgment at
dinner time. At 1.10 p.m. She enunciated a number of points that were agreed.
Mr Brennan confirms that what was in the Order of the 12th of July was agreed
but the judge asked “Is it on consent Mr Leonard? He said it was. Having
adjourned the equity civil bill and the publicans license application until the
21st of July to enable the agreement to be implemented. The Circuit judge was
annoyed that the Order she regarded as a Consent Order had not been implemented
and she adjourned it for another week to the 27th of July. The Circuit Court
had granted a certificate to enable the Dowlings to get a license but at the
renewal Mr Barrett objected on the grounds that the lane way was not licensed
and also that the Dowlings were not trading. The objections were dismissed by
Judge Haughton because the notice given had been inadequate. Mr Brennan agreed
with the Court that Mr Barrett could not be blamed for the first potential
purchaser pulling out of the sale. It also transpires that the second so
called contract was in fact halted by the Dowlings deciding not to proceed with
the contract because Mr Brennan wrote a letter of the 31st of January 2000
“Our client is not proceeding or partaking in any sub-sale as no letter
of undertaking et cetera is gone to the fire officer in an effort to complete
the original deal”.
47.
However the sub-purchaser was Mr Brady and ten days after that letter Mr Brady
offered another £100,000.00 to the Dowlings. Mr Keane, in a very careful
cross examination of Mr Brennan got him to concede that Mr Barrett was not
responsible for ending either the first or second contract for the sale of The
Brew.
48. As
regards the Order of 12th July, 2000 the Court is satisfied that the Order was
drafted, presented and approved on the unilateral application of the Defendants
without the knowledge or the approval of the Plaintiff or his solicitor. It
was drawn up two days after the Plaintiff’s successful application to
seek Judicial Review on the 24th July, 2000. It was also comprehensively
re-written by various hands after it had been drafted by counsel for the
Dowlings and submitted by their solicitors and before it was eventually
promulgated. The making of the Circuit Court Orders was Byzantine in its
complexity, involving many hands, with the total exclusion of Mr. Barrett. The
Order of 12th July, 2000 was not and could not be construed as a final Order.
Several people’s rights were being affected and they were not part of the
proceedings, nor had they notice thereof. This Court shall, of course, deal
with the Order of 12th July, as it was subsumed into the Order of the 21st. It
is clear when the matter came back to the Circuit Court the learned Circuit
Judge not yet having the Order before her assumed that all she had to do was
confirm that the “consent” requirements had been concluded. She
did not hear Mr. Barrett’s side at all. If she had she might have
discovered that the parties were not in fact ad idem. Indeed, it is the words
“by consent” which was somehow inserted in the draft. On 31st
July, 2000 the Respondent further ordered that the works “ordered by the
Court” on 21st July, 2000 be carried out immediately. It will be noted
that the terms of this Order of the 31st July, makes no reference to works
agreed to be carried out, but rather ordered by the Court to be carried out.
The Judge had retired to her chambers to prepare her Judgment. This Order
recites as evidence as offered and the Court was advised that matters had been
agreed between the engineers for both parties. But this decision was made by
hearing only the evidence of Mr. Anthony Fox, Architects for the Notice Parties
and by expressly refusing to hear evidence of the Applicant himself or to
adjourn the matter until the Fire Safety Engineer of the Applicant could be
heard. As you can see, unwittingly the Judge ignored the audi alteram.
49. The
gesture is completely understandable. It is not the first time she had to deal
with these parties. The Dowlings wanted an electrically controlled exit from
the Arcade into the Main Street, so did Mr. Barrett want it for the restaurant
which was at the far end of the Arcade. I believe the real problem was that
the control of the gate was being taken over by the Dowlings. If only these
parties could talk together, perhaps even find some financial arrangement this
simple matter could surely have been resolved. The issue of the making of the
Order, (which was after the Order of the 12th) is incredible. Both Orders were
obviously made to try and find a solution. Both parties wanted an electrified
gate, but only one party, Mr. Barrett, was entitled to put up and maintain it.
If he had however given permission to the other traders to put up a gate
previously I am sure he could have been persuaded possibly if there were a
financial inducement to give such a permission in this case as he also wanted
an electrified gate. The broad principles of common sense and fair play are
applicable. It is argued that the fire officer had no right to turn a private
right of way into a public fire exit as this was an imposition or burden placed
only on a public right of way. It is also alleged by the Plaintiff that the
learned Circuit Judge of her own motion and without any evidence to support
therefore gave an Order outside of the Pleadings when in actual fact that
exceeded her jurisdiction. There had been earlier proceedings between the
parties relating to the loading and unloading of barrels and on its pasaging.
Those proceedings had been settled by an agreement in which the following appears
50. However,
Mr. Barrett originally denies their right of way from the premises onto the
Arcade now says it was “restricted”. There is nothing in the Title
Deeds to make it a restricted exit. However, the reality is that inside the
pub there are swinging door with the word EXIT over it illuminated by an
electric bulb, beyond that there are two steel doors opening out to the Arcade.
This Court is quite satisfied that there is an existing right of way from this
pub on to the Main Street in Bray which was in existence before either of the
parties here became property owners there they must take their property as it
existed from its physical lay-out. There had been two exits from the front
part of the Brew Master premises. One was closed and separated. Then the
premises had only one exit to the front. There is evidence and it is clear
also from visual viewing of the door that it has long been there and is, and
was, an exit. Therefore the Court will make the necessary declarations in the
equity proceedings in dealing with various findings that this Court had made.
It is very sad that two competent and intelligent businessmen should spend so
much time fighting in two Courts incurred so much costs over problems which
reasonable men could, and should, resolve amicably. The right of way might
have to take a larger crowd than normal and at the present it is seldom if ever
used. That would only be in an emergency and that emergency exists at any
time, indeed, long before the present owners had got involved. Excessive user
means something which is improper and unlawful. Obviously the fact that the
Arcade is of long standing was obviously intended because of its nature to be
an exit rather than an entrance. Doorways were obviously to be used
exclusively for exit on to the right of way Arcade. This right is valuable
even if it were not used for many years. The Court could not find that it had
been abandoned as it is a right which potentially enhances the value of the
Brew lands. Dodd J. in
Flynn
v. Harte
1913 2 I.R. 322 said “The question in most cases is - convenience or
cussedness.” The equity proceedings then met with the plea that it is
an abuse of the process of the Court when there is an attempt to re-litigate
matters which were the subject matter of consent orders. However, this Court
is not happy about the problems of such alleged Consent Orders and proposes to
deal with the equity matters in the hope that with the clarity of declarations
and Orders parties might start to talk to each other and behave in a
neighbourly fashion.
53. The
Dowlings undertake by their Counsel not seek to enforce or use in any way the
purported Orders of the Circuit Court of the 12th and 21st July 2000.