Wetherspoon's in new legal battle

J D Wetherspoon's legal battle with its former property agent Van de Berg has taken a new twist.

Earlier this year JDW issued a claim against Van de Berg in relation to four property deals it felt were a breach of contract.

Now, after looking through Van de Berg files the pub company has issued a new claim relating to ten further deals.

A statement issued by JDW this morning said: "J D Wetherspoon issued a claim in the High Court in March 2005 against Van de Berg & Co Ltd, the company it had used as its property finder and consultants for many years.​

"The other defendants in this claim were either directors or ex-directors of Van de Berg or companies associated with those directors.

"The claim brought by Wetherspoons relates to four property transactions and is a claim primarily for breach of contract and a breach of fiduciary duty.

"Wetherspoons received approximately 3,000 property transaction files from Van de Berg in April of this year relating to actual or proposed property transactions for Wetherspoons.

"It has employed paralegals to review these papers over a number of months.

"The matter has then been passed to Wetherspoon's legal team to review and on the back of this review a new claim has been issued this month against Van de Berg and three individuals who were at the relevant time directors of Van de Berg.

"This new claim relates to 10 different property transactions in respect of which Wetherspoons allege serious breaches of contract and fiduciary duty.

"In court this week it has been decided that the trial on the first case should be adjourned and should be heard alongside the trial on the new case.

"This trial will take place after 1 October 2007.

"Wetherspoons are pleased that this very serious matter will be heard by the courts next year."