Non-motoring > Hollywood Lawyers Threaten 'Hobbit' Pub	Miscellaneous
Thread Author: VxFan	Replies: 30

New Tue 13 Mar 12 21:55   Hollywood Lawyers Threaten 'Hobbit' Pub - VxFan

A popular pub and music venue called The Hobbit has been threatened with legal action by US movie lawyers. The Southampton pub has been accused of copyright infringement by lawyers representing the Saul Zaentz Company (SZC) in California. The company owns the worldwide rights to several brands associated with author JRR Tolkien, including The Hobbit and The Lord of The Rings. Landlady Stella Mary Roberts said: "I can't fight Hollywood." The pub in Portswood, which is popular with students, has traded with the name for more than 20 years. It features characters from Tolkien's stories on its signs, has "Frodo" and "Gandalf" cocktails on the menu, and the face of Lord of the Rings film star Elijah Wood on its loyalty card. www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-hampshire-17350103 I've no connection with the pub whatsoever, but I for one hope that David beats Goliath. Reply to this message | Report message

New Tue 13 Mar 12 22:20   Hollywood Lawyers Threaten 'Hobbit' Pub - Manatee

I know of at least one other Hobbit Inn that has been going for 30 years or so. Reply to this message | Report message

New Tue 13 Mar 12 22:22   Hollywood Lawyers Threaten 'Hobbit' Pub - Meldrew

A cafe owned by a lady called McDonald and trading as McDonalds got one over the Golden Arch lawyers so good luck to the Hobbit. It is a Punch tavern and their legal team are assisting the owner. Reply to this message | Report message

New Wed 14 Mar 12 06:59   Hollywood Lawyers Threaten 'Hobbit' Pub - MD

>> A cafe owned by a lady called McDonald and trading as McDonalds got one over >> the Golden Arch lawyers so good luck to the Hobbit. It is a Punch tavern >> and their legal team are assisting the owner. >> I thought it was a Free House or am I mistaken? Reply to this message | Report message

New Tue 13 Mar 12 22:40   Hollywood Lawyers Threaten 'Hobbit' Pub - CGNorwich

Pubs should be called things like the King's Head or the Red Lion not daft names like the Hobbit. I'm rooting for Hollywood. Last edited by: CGNorwich on Tue 13 Mar 12 at 22:41 Reply to this message | Report message       1

New Tue 13 Mar 12 22:48   Hollywood Lawyers Threaten 'Hobbit' Pub - Zero

Yeah, its not a proper pub name, you can't just steal names from a book. Pity hollywood didn't own "slug & Lettuce" as well - would like to see that name banned. Reply to this message | Report message       1

New Tue 13 Mar 12 22:50   Hollywood Lawyers Threaten 'Hobbit' Pub - R.P.

Don't tell them about the excellent Hobbit Restaurant in Brugge....! Reply to this message | Report message

New Wed 14 Mar 12 06:35   Hollywood Lawyers Threaten 'Hobbit' Pub - Meldrew

But do you drink stupidly named beers like Tanglefoot and Bishop's Finger? In the long run it is the quality of the pub and its beer that matter - not what they are called! Reply to this message | Report message       1

New Wed 14 Mar 12 06:52   Hollywood Lawyers Threaten 'Hobbit' Pub - Falkirk Bairn

The London olympic Committee lost when they took Little Chef to court over their "Olympic Breakfast" about 12 mths ago. Little Chef had used the term for 30-40 years. Reply to this message | Report message

New Wed 14 Mar 12 07:02   Hollywood Lawyers Threaten 'Hobbit' Pub - Meldrew

LOCOG probably could not organise a party in a strangely named brewery and are struggling with organising the Games. I am glad they lost their heavy-handed foray against Little Chef Reply to this message | Report message

New Wed 14 Mar 12 07:08   Hollywood Lawyers Threaten 'Hobbit' Pub - R.P.

McDonald's (UK) McDonald's filed a lawsuit against McDonald's Family Restaurant, located in Grand Cayman. McDonald's lost the case, and in addition, was banned from ever opening a McDonald's location on Grand Cayman. This ruling still stands today. Found this one on Wiki..! Reply to this message | Report message       1

New Wed 14 Mar 12 07:11   Hollywood Lawyers Threaten 'Hobbit' Pub - Meldrew

Good! As you know RP the law is not an ass, all of the time! Reply to this message | Report message

New Wed 14 Mar 12 08:26   Hollywood Lawyers Threaten 'Hobbit' Pub - Cliff Pope

According to Wiki Tolkien didn't invent the word hobbit, just changed its meaning. They need to get Graucho Marx on the case, cf "Cassablanca". Reply to this message | Report message

New Wed 14 Mar 12 08:45   Hollywood Lawyers Threaten 'Hobbit' Pub - Zero

>> run it is the quality of the pub and its beer that matter - not >> what they are called! And a stupid and unusual name is usually required to attract people to what is otherwise a rubbish pub. It was never called the "Hobbit" pub in the first place. Last edited by: Zero on Wed 14 Mar 12 at 08:46 Reply to this message | Report message       1

New Wed 14 Mar 12 09:41   Hollywood Lawyers Threaten 'Hobbit' Pub - VxFan

Stupid pub names? You mean ones like the "Hart of Harwell" (formerly called "The White Hart") Reply to this message | Report message

New Wed 14 Mar 12 10:26   Hollywood Lawyers Threaten 'Hobbit' Pub - Zero

>> Stupid pub names? >> >> You mean ones like the "Hart of Harwell" (formerly called "The White Hart") At least they kept some link to its identity and history There is one pub in Southall i used to go to, the "Iron Bridge" at Southall, lunchtimes was strippers full hairy a rse builders and second rate meat pies. Its now called McDonalds. What kind of name is that for a pub, cant even buy a beer or pie there. Reply to this message | Report message

New Wed 14 Mar 12 09:51   Hollywood Lawyers Threaten 'Hobbit' Pub - CGNorwich

"But do you drink stupidly named beers like Tanglefoot and Bishop's Finger? In the long run it is the quality of the pub and its beer that matter - not what they are called!" If you create a new beer you can call it what you like. If you build a new pub you can call it what you like. But when a pub has had a name for decades or even centuries and some jumped up oik in a marketing company decides it needs "re-branding" and decides to call your local the "Rat and Vulture' or similar then it makes me mad. Philistines! Reply to this message | Report message       1

New Wed 14 Mar 12 10:21   Hollywood Lawyers Threaten 'Hobbit' Pub - TeeCee

Works the other way too. There's one I saw in Brixton with that fine old pub name; "The Enterprise". The sign outside had the usual sailing ship on one side and a well-known starship on the other..... Reply to this message | Report message

New Wed 14 Mar 12 10:30   Hollywood Lawyers Threaten 'Hobbit' Pub - Zero

I hope the sailing ship was carrying the stars and stripes Reply to this message | Report message

New Wed 14 Mar 12 11:07   Hollywood Lawyers Threaten 'Hobbit' Pub - Clk Sec

A pub not far from me has had its name changed three times in the last thirty years. It generates a bit of publicity, but little more than that. Utter nonsense in my opinion. Reply to this message | Report message

New Wed 14 Mar 12 14:07   Hollywood Lawyers Threaten 'Hobbit' Pub - henry k

Stephen Fry backs Hobbit pub in Southampton over legal action www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-hampshire-17366992 Reply to this message | Report message

New Wed 14 Mar 12 16:42   Hollywood Lawyers Threaten 'Hobbit' Pub - VxFan

The Bullywood lawyers were at it back in November with a Cafe called The Hungry Hobbit in Birmingham too. www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-birmingham-15825960 Reply to this message | Report message

New Wed 14 Mar 12 21:14   Hollywood Lawyers Threaten 'Hobbit' Pub - R.P.

America has a particular brand of legal imperialism that is particularly distasteful. The mighty $ is king (80% owned by the Arabs and Chinese of course) Reply to this message | Report message       2

New Wed 14 Mar 12 21:31   Hollywood Lawyers Threaten 'Hobbit' Pub - Zero

>> America has a particular brand of legal imperialism that is particularly distasteful. The mighty $ >> is king (80% owned by the Arabs and Chinese of course) I agree, but there is also something distasteful about the modern trend for "novelty pub naming" Reply to this message | Report message       1

New Wed 14 Mar 12 21:37   Hollywood Lawyers Threaten 'Hobbit' Pub - R.P.

You're right Z. There was a piece in a local paper about a pub bought and refurbished by Marstons (of all people) and they've changed the name of the Crown in Llay, near Wrexham to the"Dormouse" the Crown's history goes back to the days of the civil war and represents the Royalist links the area had. What price history ? Reply to this message | Report message

New Wed 14 Mar 12 22:26   Hollywood Lawyers Threaten 'Hobbit' Pub - Fursty Ferret

>> But do you drink stupidly named beers like Tanglefoot and Bishop's Finger? In the long >> run it is the quality of the pub and its beer that matter - not >> what they are called! >> And Fursty Ferret, of course. Reply to this message | Report message

New Fri 16 Mar 12 00:08   Hollywood Lawyers Threaten 'Hobbit' Pub - DeeW

Panic (if any) over - the Americans have withdrawn their action due to the internet campaign. www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-hampshire-17390623 link edited in Last edited by: VxFan on Fri 16 Mar 12 at 00:31 Reply to this message | Report message

New Fri 16 Mar 12 06:44   Hollywood Lawyers Threaten 'Hobbit' Pub - Duncan

>> Panic (if any) over - the Americans have withdrawn their action....... Possibly not. The pub must acknowledge that it was infringing the Hobbit patents and pay a licence fee of around $100 a year. A very hollow victory, I would call that! Reply to this message | Report message

New Fri 16 Mar 12 07:13   Hollywood Lawyers Threaten 'Hobbit' Pub - MD

Tell 'em to get stuffed. Reply to this message | Report message

New Fri 16 Mar 12 09:27   Hollywood Lawyers Threaten 'Hobbit' Pub - Focusless

>> A very hollow victory, I would call that! If I was the landlord I think I would be pretty happy with that. They probably would accept that they are only using the name because it was made famous by someone else's hard work, and to end up only paying what is effectively a nominal sum for it must be a good result. EDIT: not saying that I think the Americans were right to take that action Last edited by: Focus on Fri 16 Mar 12 at 09:27 Reply to this message | Report message

New Fri 16 Mar 12 11:58   Hollywood Lawyers Threaten 'Hobbit' Pub - Harleyman

>> The pub must acknowledge that it was infringing the Hobbit patents and pay a licence >> fee of around $100 a year. >> >> A very hollow victory, I would call that! >> I'd call it the best value for money advertising you could possibly get! Reply to this message | Report message       1