Landlords seize name and logo of tenants Dulwich Hamlet Football Club as battle over ground intensifies
Dulwich Hamlet Football Club have been ordered to stop using their name, logo, nickname and initials by their landlords as the battle over their ground escalated yesterday.
Meadow Residential, owners of the club’s Champion Hill ground, filed copyright on the badge, plus the names “Dulwich Hamlet Football Club”, “DHFC” and “The Hamlet”, leaving Gavin Rose’s team with the figleaf of “Dulwich” for future games.
Hardy fans have suggested a new chant of “Trademark Embargo” which was given a tryout at their season-defining 3-1 victory at Billericay last night – which saw the 125-year-old club leapfrog the hosts to the top of the Bostik League Premier Division table.
The letter from solicitors Blake Morgan, on behalf of a Meadow Residential subsidiary Greendales IP LLC, said:
“We act for Greendales IP LLC (the Company). The Company applied for, and is now the holder of, the following trademarks:
* Dulwich Hamlet Football Clulb
* The Hamlet
* DHFC
“Registration in the name of the Company was effective as of the date on which the applications were filed i.e. 17 October 2017.
“Copies of the registration certificates are enclosed and our client requires that the above trademarks no longer be used on any printed literature and any online activity including websites and twitter.
“Please confirm that references to all trademarks will be removed failing which further action will be taken to protect our client’s position.”
First reaction outside the club came from former England and Spurs star Gary Lineker, now the host of the BBC’s Match of the Day: “Jeez. This is just wrong,” he said.
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How petty, always have been the hamlet, will they also take away the primary schools name as well. Shame when you think they played international football on the ols ground and the numbers of league players played for the hamlet.