New brand lands CGA in name dispute

The Clerkenwell Green Association has become embroiled in a dispute over the use of the name Craft Central, under which it recently relaunched (www.designweek.co.uk, 4 September).

Dan King, founder of a national retail chain of arts and crafts materials called Craft Central Limited, says he noticed that the not-for-profit organisation was rebranding using his company’s name, having read the story on the Design Week website last week.

King says he is concerned about the confusion that the use of the name will cause, and is willing to take legal action if necessary to get it changed.

‘It’s not that we see the CGA as competition, it’s the use of the name and the confusion arising from it,’ he says. ‘You can’t be in the same line of business and have the same name. We understand that this is not a case of passing off, but it cannot be allowed.’ According to CGA chief executive Tina Searle, the association was aware that there was another business called Craft Central but did not anticipate any dispute given that the two are ‘very different businesses’.

The CGA will continue to use Clerkenwell Green Association as its legal company name, she adds.

Darrell Stuart-Smith from solicitor Humphries Kirk points out that in such instances the aggrieved party may ask the registrar at Companies House to persuade the group to retract its name, without resorting to legal action.