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British expat bar faces legal threat from Wetherspoons over its name
Owner of Costa del Sol pub ‘Weatherspains’ says it’s just a bit of fun - but the UK giant isn’t laughing
A British-run bar in Benalmádena has found itself at the centre of a legal dispute with pub giant J D Wetherspoons, who claim the name “Weatherspains” breaches their European trademark.
The Costa del Sol venue, run by Newcastle native Andy Inman, 61, and his Spanish partner Mayka Sánchez, 51, has been open for seven years and is popular with expats and holidaymakers. But last year, the couple were approached by someone claiming to represent the UK chain, who accused them of infringing the Wetherspoons name and asked them to rebrand.
Although they initially received a letter with a September 2023 deadline to change the name, no immediate legal action followed. However, after further communication earlier this year, Wetherspoons has now hired a Spanish law firm to pursue the matter more formally.
“We thought it was a joke at first,” said Andy, who moved to Spain from England over a decade ago. “The name was just a bit of fun – a play on the weather, because we’re in Spain. No one walks in here and thinks they’re in a JD Wetherspoons.”
However, in response, Andy and Mayka have temporarily covered part of the bar’s sign and removed the name from their Facebook page and menus. Diners are now handed menus headed “The Weather of Spain”, while the sign outside simply reads “Spains”.
Despite this, the owners insist they’re not backing down. “We’ve dealt with everything Wetherspoons have thrown at us and won’t give up,” said Andy. Mayka added, “We have to defend ourselves from what Wetherspoons are saying. I own the Weatherspains brand and the trademark is registered here and in Europe. We have no intention of changing the name.”
Regulars have also rallied behind the bar, criticising what they see as an unnecessary move by a large corporation. Sean Lolan, 52, from Bath, who owns a nearby venue, said, “It’s a big fish trying to swallow a small fish. The name of this bar represents the country it’s in - it’s Weather, not Wether, and it’s in Spain… Andy’s a lovely guy who’s helped me a lot with my business.”
J D Wetherspoons, which operates more than 800 pubs in the UK, issued a statement claiming the situation had been resolved after the name was changed. “The bar has since changed its name to The Weather of Spain, which brings this matter to a satisfactory conclusion,” a spokesperson said.
But the couple disputes this, insisting the name change is only temporary and that they are fully prepared to continue fighting the case in court if necessary – though they hope common sense will prevail.
“We didn’t call it WeatherSpoons to copy them,” Andy added. “It’s just a play on words. People come here because they love the bar, not because of the name.”
Image: Google
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