La Trappiste, on Greenwood Street, Altrincham, closes after legal dispute (From Messenger Newspapers)

La Trappiste, on Greenwood Street, Altrincham, closes after legal dispute

9:00am Friday 26th February 2010

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A POPULAR Altrincham bar has closed its doors after a legal dispute between the business owner and the building’s landlord.

Award-winning La Trappiste Belgian Bar on Greenwood Street, shut on Thursday, February 11th, after bailiffs took away the stock and furniture.

Martin Matthews, who has owned the business for five years, stopped paying rent to his landlord Barry Cooperman in June 2009 over a long-standing dispute concerning the lease.

The father-of-two said there had been a verbal contract with Mr Cooperman and Wayne Reece - the business 's former owner - where they agreed the lease would be transferred into his name, but after attempting to have this finalised he discovered that the lease didn’t exist.

After failing to resolve the issue with the landlord, Mr Matthews sought legal advice and began to pay the rent into an account set up by his solicitor.

But this lead to his eventual eviction from the property and the closure of La Trappiste.

Donall Catherty, soliciter at Slater Heelis Collier Littler Solicitors in Sale Moor, said: "I can confirm that the lease of the bar is the subject of an ongoing lease dispute."

Mr Cooperman, who also owns La Rioja restaurant in Altrincham, said he could not comment on the situation as it was currently in litigation.

“We are not in any way guilty in any shape or form.

“We have a tenant who does not pay his bills and is nearly a year in arrears,” he said.

Mr Matthews, a Sale fireman, said the bar had been part of his retirement plan for when he left the fire service next year, after 28 years.

“I’ve lost my business and my reputation’s ruined,” he said.

Since closing the bar, Mr Matthews said he has been “overwhelmed” by the number of messages of support - including more than 45 emails from customers.

He is hoping to reopen the bar in a different venue later this year.

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