Brand Relations wins trademark battle against London Cocktail Club over RTD name

The two companies went head-to-head over a 10-year-old trademark, which has resulted in LCC, part of Nightcap group, withdrawing in an out-of-court agreement following a six-month dispute.
 
The disagreement was based on the creation of ready-made cocktail brand London Cocktail in 2012, a joint venture with Richard Horwell, CEO of Brand Relations, and a former business partner. They parted ways and it was only during a look through Companies House last year that Horwell discovered his former partner had dissolved the company they had created together.
 
After buying the name back from The Treasury, he found LCC had registered its trademark in three crucial categories (32, 33, 21) which gave the bar operator the option to trade in Ready to Drink (RTD) drinks under their name.
 
However, following a six-month legal battle, LCC has agreed to give up the three categories and will now not trade ready-made drinks or accessories under the LCC name.
 
“I launched the company during the year of the late Queen Elizabeth’s Diamond jubilee. It all started during a royal celebration and it has now ended with a royal celebration,” says Horwell.
“The timing is perfect now for the brand. The market for RTD cocktails is set to explode as the Hospitality Industry struggles to find staff to make high quality cocktails on site.
 
“But more importantly consumers are now looking for that high end Cocktail experience at home rather than paying excessive prices in cocktail bars.
 
“It’s very satisfying when the little guy wins but I have always believed that this brand will become one of the biggest RTD cocktail brands in the world.
 
“It’s an iconic brand, known and recognised across the globe and I am delighted to have it back.”