Property investor Patrick McKillen must pay £4 million (€4.8 million) to cover financier Derek Quinlan’s costs in Mr McKillen’s failed High Court battle in London in 2012 to win control of three luxury hotels.

The London hotels – the Connaught, the Berkeley and Claridges – are known collectively as the Maybourne Group.

The costs bill in favour of Mr Quinlan, who is now challenging Mr McKillen for control of the company in a separate action, was finally settled yesterday in the Senior Courts Costs Office.

So far, Mr McKillen has paid £1.51 million on account and will now have 14 days to pay the outstanding £2.65 million. The sum agreed includes interest of £332,472.85, along with the £227,500 cost incurred in preparing the final bill.

Barclay brothers
Last month Mr McKillen was ordered to pay nearly €10 million to cover the legal costs of the billionaire Barclay brothers, David and Frederick, in the same legal action. The brothers now control the hotels, since they have authority over Mr Quinlan's voting rights.

In all, Mr McKillen’s action – the most expensive of a series of legal challenges taken by both sides over the past four years – will end up costing the Belfast-born businessman nearly €25 million in costs.