Ballymaloe Cookery School reports €193k loss after ‘very challenging’ year

Founder Darina Allen says company is ‘grateful that the loss wasn’t worse’ as retained profits stand at €2.6 million

Darina Allen, of the Ballymaloe Cookery School in Co Cork, said retaining the bulk of her workforce through lockdowns was crucial. Picture: John Allen

Ballymaloe Cookery School, the Cork-based culinary company founded by Darina Allen, reported a loss of €193,000 in 2020 due to the financial impacts of the pandemic, newly published financial statements show.

Its retained profits, built up over decades in business, stood at €2.6 million at the end of last year after its activities were severely curtailed by Covid-19 restrictions. In 2019, when the company reported a loss of €9,342, Ballymaloe’s retained profit was €2.8 million.