03/08/2009 - Earl serves shop owner legal bill
A wrangle over the name of a shop in Aberdeen has seen its owner slapped with a legal bill for thousands of pounds by descendants of the aristocrat said to have invented the sandwich.
Neil Corall was told to drop the name of his Earl of Sandwich shop after the current Earl threatened court action. After Mr Corall agreed to the request, he still ended up receiving a demand for damages and legal costs totalling £3,500.
The complaint came about because the present Earl, John Montagu, has a chain of restaurants in the USA called Earl of Sandwich.
In the 18th century, the 4th Earl is thought to have invented the modern concept of the sandwich. During his life he help a number of prestigious posts such as the Postmaster General and First Lord of the Admiralty.
Mr Corall changed his shop to E.A.R.L on The Green, said: "I think they were going in heavy-handed to make sure they got a result, but it was a shock. They had registered the trademark before we were operating, so it's fair enough, they have no argument from me."
But he added: "Personally, I feel the legal costs they were asking for were unnecessary, because they could have just picked up the phone and brought this to my attention."
Copyright © Press Association 2009
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