Anton Ego Green-Lighted to Un-Retire
A judge in Ireland has overturned a lower court ruling that awarded damages to a restaurant owner whose restaurant scored a poor review from critic and chef Caroline Workman in The Irish News, reports the Times Online.
Restaurant critics, and newspaper proprietors, were celebrating yesterday after a judge upheld their rights to publish unflattering reviews of bad food and lousy service.
Sir Brian Kerr, the Northern Ireland Lord Chief Justice, overturned the award of £25,000 to Goodfellas pizza restaurant in West Belfast against The Irish News.
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The newspaper’s restaurant critic, Caroline Workman, criticised the quality of the food, the staff and the joyless, smoky atmosphere of Mr Convery’s premises. The jury, hearing the case more than a year ago, agreed with Mr Convery that her review was defamatory, damaging and hurtful and he was awarded £25,000 in damages.
A sampling from Workman’s original review:
After one ring of squid . . . it became clear the dishes were made with the cheapest ingredients on the market”
“Our main courses arrived in as much time as it took the chef in view to rip open three blue industrial-size bags of processed cheese”
“The staff have no more time to be involved with their customers than those in a motorway cafe”
Critics talk about the secrets to plying their trade here, here and here.
