Beleaguered Gallagher set to open in London

Conrad Gallagher, the Irish chef with a flood of court judgments against him, is opening his London restaurant in April.

The restaurant, on Shaftesbury Avenue in Covent Garden, will be a joint venture between Gallagher and Vince Power, owner of the Mean Fiddler pub chain. It will include a Martini bar, delicatessen, bakery and private members' club.

Gallagher will divide his time between London and Dublin, where he runs his Peacock Alley restaurant in the city's Fitzwilliam Hotel.

His London move comes after a year he described as "disastrous". Last July, he appeared in Dublin's High Court over the alleged non-payment of rent (Caterer, 13 July 2000, page 6). This was followed with his arrest and questioning last month over the alleged theft of three paintings from the Fitzwilliam hotel.

Four court judgments, for a total of IR£168,303 (£136,503), were made against him in December.

Two related to wine supplied to his restaurant that he had allegedly not paid for.

The total in judgments registered against him or his company, Regal, which trades as Peacock Alley, now stands at IR£276,000 (£223,851).

The Irish High Court has ordered that he must not sell his Dublin home, valued at IR£700,000 (£567,739), because of outstanding claims on the property.

Last week, he was banned from driving for 12 months and fined IR£910 (£738) after being found driving at 100mph and without insurance.

By Anthony Garvey

Source: Caterer & Hotelkeeper magazine, 25-31 January 2001