An independent chicken shop has found itself facing potential legal action after popular high street restaurant chain Nando’s asked it to change its name and logo.
In recent days, Reading-based Fernando’s, owned by businessman Asam Aziz, has been served with legal notices suggesting that it has infringed Nando’s intellectual property rights with its own “highly similar branding.”
According to BBC News, the independent chicken shop has been accused of copying Nando’s name and images – and asked to take action to rectify this immediately, or else face Court action.
A written letter sent to Mr Aziz has raised concerns over Fernando’s use of Nando’s-owned trade marks, such as its “Barcelos Cockerel” and “Peri-ometer” designs, reports suggest.
In response to the warnings, Mr Aziz has publicly accused the Portuguese-themed restaurant chain of “bullying” him and argued that the chain is “threatened” by his business’ success.
The businessman, who first opened his restaurant seven months ago, told reporters that he and two friends came up with their business idea several years ago.
“I’m just an independent business owner. I thought I would start something new, a brand of my own but now this has created such a storm,” he said.
“Why have they [Nando’s] left it until now to contact me with this; why not do it right at the start?
“I think they’re threatened by me and my menu.”
In addition, he told reporters that his restaurant’s name was inspired by the fictional “Isle of Fernando’s” which features in the popular British television show Take Me Out, as opposed to Nando’s.
Meanwhile, a spokesperson on behalf of Nando’s has said: “We are really proud of our brand and we know it means a lot to our customers. That’s why whenever we think there is trademark infringement we try to sort it out amicably.
“We have asked this restaurant to re-brand because we believe it is trying to benefit from some of the things that make us who we are – our menu, logo and even our name.”