Written bids invited by Allsop after abandoned auction

Allsop Space has said it will proceed with the sale of more than 100 properties next week after it was forced to abandon an auction at the Shelbourne Hotel in Dublin on Thursday following a protest.

The company is inviting people to submit written bids by 5pm on Tuesday. Once the highest bidder has exceeded the reserve price on a property, a deposit will be required and legal paperwork must be signed by close of business on Wednesday.

Director of auctions at the company Robert Hoban said the firm had lined up hundreds of people to bid on more than 120 properties, many of whom had already paid for legal advice and surveys. He again expressed concern at the nature of the protest, which he described as aggressive.

Mr Hoban said he understood the anger over the economy and its collapse and was aware of the financial difficulties many people were in.

However, he pointed out that Allsop Space had a policy of not accepting forcibly repossessed family homes.

“I understand and fully respect people’s right to protest, but they were protesting at something we do not do. We are mainly dealing with commercial investments . . . of people who are [in] receivership.”