A LAST MINUTE High Court injunction has halted the sale of two properties owned by former hotel owner Thomas Grant.

The building known as Edghill Pharmacy, in Oistins, Christ Church, as well as a house and land in the same area, both of which belonged to Grant, were to fall under the auctioneer's hammer yesterday at 2:30 p.m.

However, Douglas Trotman, who is representing Grant Hotels, Edghill Pharmacy and Grant himself, obtained the injunction from Justice Maureen Crane-Scott, halting the auction indefinitely.

He served the documents on attorneys from Lex Caribbean moments before the scheduled start of the auction.

Attorneys for the other side have until next Friday to vary or discharge the order and no date has been set for hearing of the substantive High Court matter.

On Wednesday, a notice for sale appeared putting the properties on the auction block under the orders of mortgagee Caribbean Financial Services Corporation (CFSC).

The SATURDAY SUN has learnt that CFSC was attempting to sell the properties to pay off interest allegedly accrued by Grant Hotels.

However, Trotman petitioned the High Court in an attempt to prevent CFSC from selling any "of the properties of [Edghill Pharmacy and Tom Grant] which were held by the respondent as security against a loan which was granted to [Grant] as mortgagee".

The petition also asked the court to consider consolidating the 2005 insolvency matter against Sam Lords' Castle with the new suit so that the issue of the quantum of interest could be argued.

The historic 19th Century Sam Lords' Castle was embroiled in one of the biggest legal battles years ago when a number of creditors, including the National Insurance Department, moved in to collect on outstanding debts.

It started in June 2003 when furniture and equipment were scheduled to be auctioned to satisfy an outstanding debt of $250 000 in contributions and interest to the National Insurance Scheme.

In 2004, the 248-room castle was put up for sale in a newspaper ad, but attorneys later filed for bankruptcy, effectively nipping the sale in the bud.

Even though the hotel was later sold to CLICO Holdings for millions in an agreement reached between the two entities, the proceedings were stalled after an application was made by one of the creditors, Marriotts, in relation to the debt owed by Grant Hotels Inc.