M&S removes T-shirt after ‘ripping off’ London craft beer pub’s name

Marks and Spencer removed a T-shirt from sale after a London pub chain accused it of “ripping off” its trademark.

Owners of Craft Beer Co, set up in Clerkenwell in 2011, were stunned to see the £16 garment with their name in a graphic on the front and back.

M&S said it took “intellectual property very seriously” and added that its design was “in good faith”.

Friends Martin Hayes and Peter Slezak, who operate seven pubs in London and one in Brighton, tweeted the retailer on Thursday asking: “What’s the idea with these T-shirts!?

“Can we expect a royalties cheque in the post. Surely one iconic British institution shouldn’t be ripping off another….!!”

In a description on its website, M&S had said “the St Michael Brewery-themed graphics on the back and chest add a distinctive theme”.

Mr Hayes told the BBC they were alerted to the T-shirt when a punter mentioned it to one of their bar staff on Wednesday.

He said: “I’m not angry about it, but it is a little annoying.

“I’ve got a lot of respect for M&S. It’s an iconic British business and I think somebody’s just made a bit of a boo boo really, but I’m sure it will be sorted out.”

Mr Hayes confirmed Craft Beer Co is not planning to sue.

Two years ago, M&S took legal action against supermarket rival Aldi arguing that the latter’s Cuthbert the Caterpillar cake infringed its Colin the Caterpillar trademark. The two companies reached a settlement in the case last year.

A M&S spokesman told the Standard: “We take intellectual property very seriously and, while the T-shirt was designed in good faith, we’ve taken the decision to remove the product from sale so we can investigate further.”