This week saw an established Dundee business forced to change its name by iconic punk band the Sex Pistols.
After trading for more than a decade, the glasses shop formerly known as Spex Pistols has been renamed Land O’Spex.
The English band kicked up a fuss about similarities between its logo and the optical boutique’s and issued a ‘cease and desist’ letter.
Owner Richard Cook admitted: “I just don’t have the resources to challenge their action in any way…we’re a wee spectacle shop in the smallest street in Dundee.”
It is the latest in a host of controversial David versus Goliath rows that have seen local firms go head-to-head with big-name brands.
Here are some other examples of copyright battles involving Tayside and Fife traders – some winners… others less successful.
D&G Autocare vs Dolce and Gabbana
Fife garage chain D&G Autocare achieved a sensational victory against Italian fashion giant Dolce & Gabbana in 2012.
The Dunfermline-based company, which has branches across Fife as well as in Dundee, Perth and Stirling, became embroiled in a trademark battle when it attempted to officially register its name.
The firm’s owners David Hunter and George Simpson, whose initials make up their D&G, expected their application to the UK Intellectual Property Office to be passed without issue.
But Dolce & Gabbana – which sells bags for over £3,000 – lodged a ”notice of threatened opposition” and said the application overlapped with their registered trademark and people could be confused.
However, the fashion house failed to make their formal objection in time and D&G Autocare was granted its trademark with no restriction.
L’Oréal vs Elsie Cosmetics
A young Fife make-up artist lost hundreds of pounds after legal action by the world’s largest cosmetics company.
Lisa Chandler, from Dunfermline, chose the name Elsie Cosmetics for her range of false eyelashes.
She spent her savings having a logo designed and boxes printed.
The name was a play on her initials, LC – and was the nickname used by her gymnastics coaches when she was a teenager.
However when she applied to trademark the name in 2021, she received an 11th hour email from L’Oréal Paris threatening to oppose her choice.
The then 22-year-old then faced a decision to take on the global brand in a trademark fight or change her name.
In the end, she came to an agreement with L’Oréal’s lawyers to use the name Elsie by Lisa instead. Lisa has since closed the business.
Sweeney Todd vs Peaky Blinders
A Perth barber was threatened with legal action after trying to cash in on the Peaky Blinders ‘brand’ at the height of the BBC television show’s success.
Will Robertson tried to change the name of his South Street shop from Sweeney Todd to Peaky Blinders in 2018.
The award-winning programme was credited with a surge in requests for short back and sides hairstyles.
However, Will was stopped in his tracks by the makers of the hit series.
Chiever Brand Protection, working on behalf of production company Caryn Mandabach, claimed he was trying to “free-ride” on the reputation of the TV show under the English law of ‘passing off’.
As well as the name-change, Will had ordered 20,000 Peaky Blinders-branded hair gel tubs, which he had to repackage.
Zoe Gibson vs Oliver Bonas
Dundee artist Zoe Gibson recently called out striking similarities between her work and patterns used by Oliver Bonas.
The Dundee University graduate believes her unique designs were lifted “almost wholesale” and used on a range of Oliver Bonas homeware items.
Zoe sold her striking Solstice designs to London-based wallpaper and fabric company CommonRoom in 2023.
Zoe and CommonRoom claim they have been “completely ignored” by the high street giant after company director Kate Hawkins brought it to their attention in April.
Oliver Bonas did not respond to repeated attempts made by The Courier when approached for comment about the allegations. The items are still available online.
Titanic Pizza Company vs KFC
Global fast-food chain KFC dropped its threat of legal action against a Carnoustie takeaway over the name of a meal on its menu following a public backlash.
Titanic Pizza Company offered a Family Feast for its customers – one of the fried chicken chain’s best-sellers.
In 2009, KFC said the company’s use of the name infringed the trademark on their own Family Feast.
However, Titanic’s owners revealed they began using the name in 1992 – two years before it was trademarked by KFC.
At the time, takeaway owner Marie Fagan described the move as “absolutely unbelievable” and refused to give in.
Lennon’s Bar vs Yoko Ono
Yoko Ono hit out at a Dundee pub owner for using her late husband John Lennon’s name.
Mike Craig received a shock legal letter from Ono’s lawyers after buying the Lennon’s Bar in 2011.
He was reportedly told to change the name of the venue and take down all Beatles memorabilia within two weeks.
Craig branded the order “ridiculous” – saying that the venue had been called Lennon’s Bar for “about five years” – however, agreed to the terms to avoid a costly lawsuit.
Since Lennon’s death in 1980, Ono has licensed her husband’s image to be used on various products, including T-shirts.
She is known for taking legal action, once stopping a Polish drinks firm from selling ‘John Lemon’ soda.
Glencross Motors vs We Buy Any Car
We Buy Any Car raised an action against Dundee’s Glencross Motors for displaying a forecourt sign with the message “wheel buy any car”.
The lettering was in black instead of the major car buying service’s blue and green – but the Glencross sign also had a row of five vehicles, akin to the We Buy Any Car logo.
Agents for We Buy Any Car lodged a writ at Dundee Sheriff Court seeking £50,000 against Glencross on Clepington Road.
The money was said to be for loss and damages, as the national company claimed their business reputation would suffer.
Owner Charles Sandeman removed the sign. His solicitor said at the time he had been “shocked by the heavy-handed tactics” used by We Buy Any Car – noting “realistically, no-one would have mistaken Glencross Motors with their company”.
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