Two Westport pubs come back to life

Licences are revived in rural Westport pubs


Two pubs located in rural areas close to Westport had their licences revived at last week’s sitting of Westport Circuit Court.
Digger Jay’s in Ayle, Westport and Maxwell’s Bar in Lecanvey, Westport both had their licence revived after they had both lapsed for a number of years. Both pubs had ceased to trade for the last few years.
John J Shaughnessy, the proprietor of Digger Jay’s pub in Ayle, Westport appeared before Westport Circuit Court where he applied to revive the pub’s licence which lapsed in 2009. He told Judge James O’Donohoe that he ran the pub for over 12 years but was in financial difficulties and was doing his best to get it back off the ground.
The court heard the pub was approximately five miles from Westport and was suitable for licencing and there were no objections. Judge O’Donohoe agreed to revive the licence.
Meanwhile Maxwell’s Bar in Lecanvey is expected to reopen for the Christmas season after the pub’s licence was revived after three years. The premises went into receivership but was bought last May by Claire Kearns who is a native of the village, and she applied to have the licence revived.
The court heard that the licence was last renewed in September 2009 and the bar has not traded since it went into receivership.
Mrs Kearns explained that she bought the premises last May having previously run a pub in Fermanagh with her husband. She said she intended to resurrect the business over the Christmas period.
Judge O’Donohoe agreed to revive the licence and wished Ms Kearns luck in her new enterprise.