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ARTICLE · 09 FEBRUARY 2023

One Does Not Simply Infringe Middle-earth Enterprises

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It has been reported over the weekend that a Brighton refuse firm Lord of the Bins has received a cease and desist letter from lawyers of Middle-earth Enterprises, owners of the rights to the hugely popular The Lord of the Rings trilogy.

United KingdomIntellectual Property
Sarah Chittock
Sarah Chittock
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It has been reported over the weekend that a Brighton refuse firm Lord of the Bins has received a cease and desist letter from lawyers of Middle-earth Enterprises, owners of the rights to the hugely popular The Lord of the Rings trilogy.

Middle-earth Enterprises have allegedly requested that Lord of the Bins change their name, website, and their slogan - "One ring to remove it all". The Guardian reports that the letter states Lord of the Bins have "made use of names and slogan highly similar to the Lord of the Rings. Your activity amounts to an infringement of our client's trademark rights".

The owners of Lord of the Bins have hit back on Instagram, claiming "anyone in their right mind know we're a completely separate and non-competitive business". However, in the same post they concede that "we now have the prospect of spending thousands of pounds and effort rebranding".

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