SuperValu to leave centre owned by RTÉ Thomas’s dad

BUSINESS is not booming for television presenter Kathryn Thomas’s father as his property company failed in a legal challenge to prevent an anchor tenant from leaving a shopping centre.

Kathryn’s father Gwynne Thomas is co-director of property company Thomas Thompson Holdings Ltd which has been struggling since the economic downturn.

The company sought to prevent anchor tenant SuperValu from closing down in Carlow Shopping Centre and told the High Court the closure would pose an ‘existential’ threat to the centre.

They argued that the anchor tenant was obliged to remain trading there until 2018 and if the SuperValu store closed, it would have a damaging impact on the entire shopping centre.

The High Court ruled against Mr Thomas’s company, but Mr Thomas and his business partner may sue the supermarket chain owners Musgrave for damages for breaking its lease.

The SuperValu store has been making losses in recent years.

‘SuperValu leaving threaten centre’

A receiver was appointed by NAMA to some of the properties in Carlow previously owned by Thomas Thompson Holdings Ltd late last year.

The latest set of accounts for the firm, for the year ending May 2014, show it had built up losses of €9,179,921.

Thomas Thompson Holdings Ltd was set up in 1921. Some of the company’s debt has been transferred from AIB to NAMA as the firm has been struggling since the crash.

Ms Thomas, whose own businesses Aquarius Productions and bootcamp Pure Results are doing well, could not be reached by the Irish Daily Mail for comment last night.

The RTÉ star’s media firm Aquarius Productions accumulated profits of almost €230,000 last year.

Ms Thomas is a director of the media firm along with her brother David Thomas. Her father is also a shareholder.

Ms Thomas’s Cork bootcamp business Pure Results launched in 2015.

Ms Thomas is best known as the presenter of RTÉs Operation Transformation, the television show that helps overweight people to lead healthier, fitter lives. The programme was originally hosted by the late broadcaster Gerry Ryan.

She also previously presented Winning Streak with Marty Whelan. Her first TV break came when she presented Rapid, a youth sports show.