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Business News Legal
High Court refuses Ukulele Orchestra’s Ukulele Orchestra injunction request
By Andy Malt | Published on Thursday 25 September 2014
The High Court has refused to grant the Ukulele Orchestra Of Great Britain an injunction against the United Kingdom Ukulele Orchestra ahead of pending trademark litigation.
The Ukulele Orchestra Of Great Britain, based in the UK, claims that the more recently formed United Kingdom Ukulele Orchestra, based in Germany, will cause confusion for consumers when the latter group begins its first tour of the UK next month. Moreover, they reckon the German outfit are infringing their trademark.
A trial to consider the Ukulele Orchestra Of Great Britain’s trademark claim is yet to receive a start date. However, with the United Kingdom Ukulele Orchestra’s tour due to begin in a matter of weeks, the Ukulele Orchestra Of Great Britain sought to gain an injunction against the United Kingdom Ukulele Orchestra, barring them from performing in the UK, while the trademark litigation is still waiting to go ahead.
But the judge hearing the case said that the Ukulele Orchestra Of Great Britain had launched its case too late in the day to allow for an injunction to be granted. Doing so now would force the United Kingdom Ukulele Orchestra to cancel an already booked tour, costing them tens of thousands of pounds.
Speaking outside the court, Ukulele Orchestra Of Great Britain founder George Hinchliffe told the BBC: “We have issued proceedings against a German-based musical group for registered trademark infringement. However the court didn’t grant [an initial] injunction. It’s really not a policy of ours to comment upon litigation while it’s still going through the courts. And we’re a bit busy at the moment as we’re just about to start a tour of China”.
I hope you followed all that. A court is expected to decide whether or not you did later this year or in early 2015.
