London firms stumble over trademark hurdles - Reuters UK
LONDON |
LONDON (Reuters) - Martyn Routledge first noticed businesses springing up in east London near the Olympic Park with the name "Olympic" on their shopfront 18 months ago during his daily bike ride to work.
First it was a furniture store, then a kebab takeaway, then it extended to hairdressers, garages and cafes.
"I looked around and saw more and more cropping up," Routledge, a creative director at design company Open Agency, told Reuters.
Then some of the names began to disappear, or the letter "O" was dropped or covered up.
The Olympic police had begun spotting the names too.
Businesses hoping for some Olympic glamour to rub off on them have found themselves in breach of strict copyright laws imposed by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and enforced by the London organising committee (LOCOG).
The word "Olympic" and the rings logo are among the most recognisable trademarks in the world - and the most heavily protected.
The managing director of the "Olympic Internet Cafe", within walking distance of the main stadium, says he has received two visits from authorities telling him to change the name despite having it above the entrance for more than 10 years.
Only those names that pre-date 1995, well before London won its bid in 2005, are exempt.
"My son is a sportsman and he said 'Olympics' was a good name," said Ahsan Malik, whose tweed jacket and clipped moustache contrasted with the drab decor of the place.
"I am suffering as a business ... I don't want to change.
"The name is established and it's in the telephone directory."
Laws have also been put in place to protect sponsors from ambush marketing, companies that try to associate their products or services with the Olympics without paying for the privilege.
Terms such as Games and 2012 cannot be combined with London, summer, bronze, silver or gold in adverts or on goods; and certain images cannot be used, such as an Olympic-style flame.
Advertising within about 300 metres of stadiums will be policed during the Games, which start on July 27.
Ever more sophisticated ambush marketing, or piggy-backing, by larger companies at international sports events - such as a brewery company giving fans orange lederhosen at the 2006 soccer World Cup in Germany - has put authorities on heightened alert.
LOCOG argues the laws are needed to protect sponsors' interests otherwise taxpayers would have to pick up the tab, beyond the 9.3 billion pounds already forked out.
Hundreds of infringements have already been recorded.
The 11 international companies who sponsor the Olympics have paid nearly $1 billion for the chance to have their brand associated with the Games and the Olympic rings for a four-year cycle which covers one winter and one summer Games.
A further 700 million pounds has been paid by 44 domestic sponsors to help LOCOG meet its 2 billion pounds bill to put on the Games.
STRICT RULES
Professor Simon Chadwick of Coventry University Business School said there is nothing stopping local firms chasing business, trying to target tourists, as long as they are careful.
"My advice to businesses is rather than becoming frustrated that they can't use the word Olympic, they just think about other ways in which they can reach out to tourists, visiting officials, to members of the media, commercial partners who will be in town," he said. "They've just got to careful in the wording and imagery they use."
But he fears the rules are so strict small firms may accidentally fall foul of them.
"You can imagine your local newsagent somewhere in Stratford thinking, what a great idea - we could make a handmade poster saying 'Olympic special: buy two cans of Pepsi, get a third can free', but who would fall foul of the law twice (because Coca-Cola is a sponsor)," Chadwick said.
Breaches can result in fines of 20,000 pounds.
London 2012 was billed as a catalyst for the regeneration of the previously run-down area around Stratford, an ethnic hotpot crippled with high unemployment and social deprivation levels.
The Olympic Internet Cafe's managing director said he hoped business would pick-up during the Games, but many local firms fear visitors will bypass their outlets.
"I have not seen anyone come here to have their hair done because we have the name Olympics," said Mary Boadu, who has owned "D-Olympics" hairdressers since 1997.
"Those who turn up for the Games will have had their hair done before they arrive."
Restaurants and shops were predicted most likely to take advantage of the expected extra footfall during the Games.
Formans salmon curer used to be on the site of what became the new main stadium before it was forced to move. It set up its new building just yards away across the waterway with some of the best views of the Olympic Park.
It has built hospitality suites and plans to bring in a few motor boats for guests keen on "VIP socialising".
"I think people have been quite slow to work out what to do, how to do it, and have been afraid of the scary LOCOG rules, but my feeling is that the excitement will happen," said owner Lance Forman.
"A lot of local businesses have seen this thing on their doorstep and they've watched this thing unfold and there is certainly a feeling of 'what have the Olympics done for us?'
"I just don't think life is like that: you can't sit back and expect the thing to arrive and shower you with gold."
(Editing by Peter Rutherford)
London Welsh to contest decision soon – Rugby News Update - Bettor.com
London Welsh to contest decision soon – Rugby News Update
London Welsh, a club that plays in the Championship, the second tier of rugby in England have defeated the Cornish Pirates over a two-legged final to be declared champions.
However, they are not being allowed promotion into the Aviva Premiership, the top tier of rugby in England, as they do not fill the minimum requirement criteria. Their application to join the country’s elite was rejected by the Professional Game Board, a decision that was upheld by the Rugby Football Union.
After securing the title, the club is keen to fight their case in order to secure their promotion into the top flight. They have a minimum of three months to know what tier they will be playing in, as the new season will start by then. It provides the club a very small window of opportunity to take the matter to court or settle for an out of court settlement. London Welsh were waiting till the season concluded, and now that they have emerged winners, they are in a strong bargaining position.
Club chairman, Bleddyn Phillips, said, "We shall be lodging an appeal in the very near future and in parallel we are pursuing all other available opportunities to make sure we can take our rightful and deserved place in the Aviva Premiership."
John Taylor, the managing director of the club has said that the refusal of the RFU has brought the situation into a tipping point. He referenced the need of the RFU to make the Championship a professional body, and they need to support the lower league teams, in order to create a culture where the teams have an opportunity to advance.
He said, "The feeling is that even if we were to be in a situation at the end of it for whatever reason we didn't win this appeal, and we are going to fight it very, very hard, things will never be the same again. They will not be prepared to go through this again at the end of next season.”
It is going to be a long summer for London Welsh and they have to make important decisions regarding the future of the club.
London 2012 unveils Olympic medal bearers' costumes and bouquets - The Guardian
The final piece of the London Olympics design jigsaw has been unveiled, with the first appearance of the Games podiums, the costumes worn by medal bearers and the bouquets presented at medal ceremonies.
In a distinct break with previous events, all but the floral arrangements have been created by students, a decision organisers say highlights the intention to provide a legacy to the city's young people.
Similarly unprecedented is the fact that the majority of the designers are not British nationals. Of the five co-creators of the "royal purple" podiums, which feature a zigzag edge to mimic the jagged lines of the official 2012 logo, two are South Korean, one from China, one is French and the other is a US national. All were Royal College of Art (RCA) students when Olympic officials launched a design contest.
The designer of the two outfits for female medal bearers and athlete escorts, fitted one-piece creations in the same colour, is another overseas RCA student, Trine Hav Christensen, from Denmark, whose final MA show at the college opened this week. The accompanying hat was created by a Briton, Zara Gorman, who left RCA in 2010.
For the first time at an Olympics, some of the medal bearers – all of whom are volunteers – will be male. Their sharply cut purple suit was designed by another recent RCA graduate, Tom Crisp from Kent.
London 2012 bouquets by Jane Packer The only established designers were used for the flowers, created by the studio of celebrated London-based florist Jane Packer, who died part-way through the process late last year.
Niccy Hallifax, who is organising victory ceremonies at London 2012, said the decision to use students was based on London's promise at the bidding process for the event to use the Games to help the city's young.
"The designs are very contemporary, very British, but also take on board our brand and/or stories," she said. "It was really important for us that, certainly with the podium and the costumes, we're launching the next generation of designers."
Once the decision was taken to use RCA students, Hallifax said, it was inevitable that those involved would come from the range of backgrounds. "We are a multicultural country and the RCA in particular draws people from all over the world. The creative industry is very strong in the UK, and the art colleges in particular.
"It was very important to us that we were truly inclusive. It's about bringing the world to London. The designers reflect that."
The bulk of the attention is likely to be focused on the volunteers' outfits, which Hallifax described as having "a very fresh look, which doesn't overpower the athletes".
Medal-bearer outfits have had a chequered history at previous Olympics, with designers generally opting for a variant, or pastiche, of the national outfits, such as the close-fitted cheongsam-type dresses used in Beijing in 2008, or the traditional, rural-style outfits seen in Athens four years before.
This can have its perils for nations where the national outfit is less clear – for example the awkward-looking bushranger coats and hats seen in Sydney in 2000.
The 2012 outfits have opted for a modern look, albeit one that, at first glance, veers closely towards the sort of clothes usually seen on airline cabin crew.
The designers said they had attempted to incorporate British elements: Christensen said the zips dotted around her women's outfits referenced punk; Crisp said he was inspired by Savile Row. Gorman said her sleekly cut hats were influenced by the lines of Olympic buildings such as the velodrome.
Test Tube: London Underground name free Wi-Fi Olympic tube stations - Metro.co.uk
Transport for London confirmed that Leicester Square, Liverpool Street, Oxford Circus, King's Cross, and Stratford would be among the first set of stations to receive internet access.
SCROLL DOWN FOR A FULL LIST OF THE WI-FI STATIONS
Virgin Media, who won the contract in March, are on track to deliver the service to 80 stations by the start of the Games following a successful trial.
Members of the public will soon be able to browse the web and check e-mails using their smartphones from station ticket offices, escalators and platforms.
The service will be free during the Olympics and then available to customers through a pay-as-you-go offering later in the year.
London Underground’s director Gareth Powell said: 'Our customers will soon be able to connect to the internet for live travel information while they are on the move through stations.
'Bringing a next generation Wi-Fi service to one of the world’s oldest underground transport networks is progressing as planned and the forthcoming service is testing well.
'The first stations include some of our busiest and most well-known destinations and we’re on-track for a successful launch this summer – all delivered at no additional cost to fare payers or taxpayers.'
VIDEO: New London Underground Wi-Fi put to the test
BBC Technology correspondent Rory Cellan-Jones was given a sneak peak at one station in central London on Thursday, where the internet equipment is currently being tested.
He tweeted from an unnamed station platform: 'Historic first tweet from deep under London using @TFLofficial @virginmedia new tube wifi service - testing, testing.'
TfL hope it will help passengers keep up-to-date with all the latest travel information during the busy Olympic period.
Mayor Boris Johnson said earlier this year: 'Millions of passengers will now be able to connect to their work, friends or access the latest news and travel information while on the move.
'This is a fabulous new and free resource which will be in place from this summer when London is being showcased on a global stage and playing host to millions.'
An estimated 800,000 additional passengers are expected to use London's public transport during the Olympics at peak times, raising question marks over TfL's ability to cope with the extra burden.
MORE: Full list of all 80 stations planned for Wi-Fi installation by July 2012
Aldgate East, Angel, Archway, Arsenal, Barbican, Bayswater, Bermondsey, Bethnal Green, Blackhorse Road, Borough, Brixton, Caledonian Road, Camden Town, Canada Water, Canary Wharf, Canning Town, Chancery Lane, Charing Cross, Clapham North, Covent Garden, Edgware Road (Circle), Elephant & Castle, Embankment, Euston, Euston Square, Finsbury Park, Goodge Street, Green Park, Hammersmith (District/Piccadilly), Heathrow T1-T3, Heathrow T4, High Street Kensington, Highbury & Islington, Holborn, Holland Park, Hyde Park Corner, Kentish Town, Kings Cross/St Pancras, Lambeth North, Lancaster Gate, Leicester Square, Liverpool Street, London Bridge, Manor House, Mansion House, Marble Arch, Marylebone, Mile End, North Greenwich, Old Street, Oval, Oxford Circus, Paddington, Piccadilly Circus, Pimlico, Queensway, Regents Park, St James Park, St Johns Wood, St Paul’s, Seven Sisters, Southfields, Southwark, Stepney Green, Stockwell, Stratford, Swiss Cottage, Temple, Tottenham Hale, Tower Hill, Tufnell Park, Vauxhall, Victoria, Walthamstow Central, Warren Street, Warwick Avenue, Waterloo, Wembley Central, Wembley Park, West Ham, Westminster and Wimbledon Park.
London 2012: Olympic saltire flag ban lifted for Hampden - BBC News
The saltire flag will be allowed to fly over Scotland's national football stadium during the London Olympics, games bosses have confirmed.
The move came after they previously said it could not be flown over Hampden, which is hosting some Olympic 2012 football matches.
Scottish athletes represent Great Britain at the Olympic Games, under the banner of the Union Flag.
The Welsh dragon will also be allowed to fly at Cardiff's Millennium Stadium.
A spokesman for the London 2012 Organising Committee said the move had been backed by the International Olympic Committee.
Hampden is holding eight London 2012 football matches.
The original restriction did not apply to fans attending games at the stadium.
London 2012: Olympic Athletes' Purple Podium Revealed (POLL) - huffingtonpost.co.uk
This is the podium model for the London 2012 Olympics which will stage 805 victory ceremonies in more than 30 London 2012 venues.
Designed by students from London's Royal College of Art, work has taken place over the past eight months on the podiums and costumes.
Gaetano Ling, Hong-Yeul Eom, Luc Fusaro, Heegun Koo and Yan Lu are the students credited, while Thomas Crisp and Trine Hav Christensen designed the costumes, based on Greek mythology plus British heritage.
Meanwhile the victory bouquet has been designed by UK florist Jane Packer. The bouquet represents the "vibrancy of the Games", as the four sections each hold a different variety of the rose, symbolising Great Britain. Around 4,400 bouquets will be presented to the athletes.
London 2012: Olympic organisers reveal the official scent of victory - The Sport Review
London 2012′s official scent of victory has been revealed – a potent combination of mint, rosemary, English lavender and wheat.
Organisers have unveiled the look of all victory celebrations by revealing how the podiums, ceremonial costumes and medallists’ flowers bouquets will appear this summer.
And it appears their favourite novel must by Alice Walker’s The Colour Purple.
Over 805 carefully choreographed victory ceremonies will be staged over 30 venues and for the first time in Olympic history the medal bearers will also be male.
The costumes and podium have been designed by a team of students from the Royal College of Art while UK florist Jane Packer has crafted a victory bouquet that combines a rose, the most iconic of English flowers, with traditional herbs.
“The victory ceremonies mark the moment athletes can celebrate and share their achievements with fans in the stadiums and a worldwide TV audience,” said London 2012 chairman Seb Coe.
“I’m delighted that we have worked with not only with established British designers but also with the next generation of designers to create this special moment for them.”
© Sportsbeat 2012
London 2012: June events calendar and diary - Daily Telegraph
David Nash at Kew, Kew Royal Botanic Gardens; June 9 – April 14 2013
The works of sculptor David Nash will go on display at Kew Gardens this month, with sculptures, installations, drawings and film in place in the open air, garden glasshouses and on-site exhibition spaces. Nash is renowned for his work with wood and the exhibition will see the artist work on a ‘wood quarry’ in Kew, where he will create new pieces for the exhibition using trees from Kew Gardens that have reached the end of their natural life.
Bt Artbox Project, throughout London; June 18 – July 16
Sir Giles Gilbert Scott’s traditional red telephone box is an icon of British design but this month it gets a temporary revamp from select artists and designers. Keith Tyson, Romero Britto, Zandra Rhodes and Giles Deacon are among those selected to participate in the BT Artbox Project, which will see them decorate a full-size, fibreglass replica of the K6 telephone kiosk, which will then be displayed in different areas of the city.
Codebreaker - Alan Turing's life and legacy, Science Museum; June 21 – June 2013
One hundred years after his birth, Alan Turing is celebrated with a free year-long exhibition at the Science Museum. Examining his life and legacy, the exhibition considers his contribution to computer science – which still holds influence today – and remembers his wartime codebreaking successes. The exhibition will display one of the most comprehensive collections of Turing-related artefacts, including machines he developed and worked on.
BP Portrait Award 2012, National Portrait Gallery; June 21 – September 23
The National Portrait Gallery follows its exceptionally popular Lucian Freud exhibition with the BP Portrait Award. This is the most prestigious portrait competition in the world, with a £25,000 prize going to the work judged to best showcase contemporary portrait-painting technique. Admittance is free.
New London theatre and performing arts openings
London 2012 Festival, throughout London and nationally; June 21 – September 9
The London 2012 Festival is the cultural complement to the London 2012 Olympic Games and the culmination of the four-year Cultural Olympiad. Throughout the capital, and throughout the country, thousands of events will take place to ensure millions of people will have the opportunity to participate in this exceptional summer. Highlights in London include the BT River of Music festival, which will see act including the Scissor Sisters and the Noisettes perform at six separate Thames-side locations, and an enhanced West End LIVE in Trafalgar Square which will this year see the casts from every one of London’s West End musicals perform for free. You can see coverage of the festival as it progresses on our London 2012 Festival portal.
Southbank Centre Summer Festival; June 1 – September 9
The Southbank Centre has another summer’s entertainment sorted with its Festival of the World. With a focus on learning, the event seeks to showcase how art can transform lives with a programme that’s challenging, moving and engaging. Highlights include Bryn Terfel’s four-day celebration of Welsh culture and Unlimited, the largest series of commissions by disabled and deaf artists ever undertaken in the UK.
New London restaurant and bar openings
Chase and Country Tails Terrace, Harvey Nichols; June 4 - July 15
Hopes are high for a good summer and if clement weather does grace us then the Chase and Country Tails Terrace at Fifth Floor Harvey Nichols is going to be popular. Created by Chase Distillery, the terrace’s traditional English-countryside look is inspired by the Herefordshire countryside where the company is based. More a bar space that serves food than a restaurant, the terrace will serve drinks featuring Chase spirits and mini tasting dishes created by Fifth Floor restaurant executive chef Jonas Karlsson.
Beard to Tail pop-up restaurant, 24 Chart Street; June 12-15
Shoreditch cocktail bar Callooh Callay tries its hand at the food trade with the four-day opening of the Beard to Tail pop-up restaurant. The meat-heavy menu is set to feature plenty of hearty, homely dishes with mains priced at £8-£13. The space will accommodate only 35 covers. Annoyingly bookings aren’t taken but you can expect the cocktail list to provide compensation. The pop-up precedes the opening of a permanent Beart to Tail restaurant, currently set for September 2012.
The Cube by Electrolux, Southbank Centre; June 1 – September 30
A Room for London, the boat-shaped, one-bedroom hotel, is perched atop the Queen Elizabeth Hall already; now The Cube by Electrolux plonks itself above the adjacent Royal Festival Hall. A pop-up restaurant sponsored by the appliances manufacturer, it will feature dishes created by Michelin-starred chefs stationed across the British Isles, including Sat Bains, Claude Bosi and Tom Kitchin. Guests who dine here will be served at least five courses with matching wines, and only 18 people will be accommodated at a time. Lunch at the Cube by Electrolux costs £175 per person, while dinner costs £215. Bookings can be made through the website.
Eat London afternoon tea, Wyndham Grand; June 1-30
Chocolatier Damian Allsop newly created Eat London chocolate bars are influenced by London’s cultural diversity (coffee and banana crunch are used for the Brixton bar; ginger, peanut and soy for China Town) and to celebrate their launch the Wyndham Grand London Chelsea Harbour hotel has launched an Eat London afternoon tea for the month. The tea features traditional teatime treats that have again been adapted to represent different parts of the city and costs £28 per person. On June 9, Allsop will be present at the hotel to run a two-hour chocolate masterclass – that costs £40 per person.
Afternoon Rock tea, W London hotel; June 1 onwards
The W London hotel is now serving Afternoon Rock tea, its variant of traditional afternoon tea. Launched to coincide with this summer’s Jubilee and Olympic festivities, the tea celebrates all things British with a menu that’s inspired by great British rock bands. Served on a three-tier stand made from original vinyl records, items served are named after rock albums and songs. London’s Burning, for example, is a chocolate pudding and hazelnut crunch; Cherry Bomb is a chocolate, mascarpone and cherry dessert inspired by The Runaways’ 1976 song.
Other London openings
ZSL London Zoo Lates, London Zoo; June 1 – July 27
From now until the end of July, London Zoo will be open late on Fridays and the venue is offering a packed Zoo Lates programme of events to celebrate. Running from 6pm-10pm the adults-only event will feature live comedy and cabaret performances on site, a silent disco (loud music disturbs the animals) and, of course, the opportunity to observe the hundreds of different animal species resident in the zoo.
tell London its 2012 someone,why are they only doing to platforms? Pop over to Hong Kong if you want to see how its done. You will fine a full GSM (GSM-900 and GSM-1800), CDMA and TDMA mobile phone network is in place throughout the MTR Tube system of stations and tunnels allowing passengers to stay connected underground.