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Manchester ale lovers are uniting in a social media storm today to save the name of a small Stockport-based brewery.
Crabbie’s UK, owned by Halewood, have trademarked the name Tickety Boo and have phoned pale ale makers TicketyBrew in a bid to get them to change their name.
Halewood claims that the brewer’s name is too similar to its registered trademark ‘Tickety Boo’ – a tagline it has used in association with Crabbie’s.
Since TicketyBrew announced the news on Twitter, fans have expressed their outrage at the alcoholic ginger beer makers.
Some have even resorted to posting on Crabbie’s UK Facebook page demanding answers, but these have since been deleted.
TicketyBrew posted this morning: “We don’t want to hurt or misrepresent Crabbie’s in any way, we just want to brew beer and keep the name we have built up.
“They feel we’re confusing and hurting the Crabbie’s brand, and people could mistakenly purchase our beer thinking it is Crabbie’s Ginger Beer.
“We don’t have any money left, it’s all gone in the beer. We can’t take the risk of losing this and picking up all costs.”
TicketyBrew was set up by husband and wife Duncan and Keri Barton in February and have built a solid reputation among cask ale drinkers.
Halewood said in a statement: “UK trademark law does not support the registration of similar marks for the same products. We were therefore surprised when Ticketybrew recently applied to register their beer label.
“Our trademark attorney took the trouble to telephone Ticketybrew to discuss the issue but they were not willing to enter into a dialogue regarding our pre-existing registered trade mark. We wish Ticketybrew well, but hope they will respect our brands.”
However Halewood have now issued a new statement to MM and said: “On July 11, Halewood International’s trade mark attorney contacted Ticketybrew to discuss the trade mark application and notify them of Halewood’s similar mark ‘Tickety Boo’ which was registered in 2012 in relation to alcoholic beverages.
“Halewood International has never told Ticketybrew to stop trading, we have not imposed deadlines, we have never claimed that our TICKETYBOO trade mark is being infringed and neither have we threatened court action.
“It is not in our nature to apply pressure to small businesses which is why we tried to open amicable discussions by telephone rather than in writing. We are disappointed that misinformation has been provided surrounding this.”
Manchester-based restaurant Mughli have thrown their weight behind TicketyBrew’s cause – removing Crabbies from their menu.
They said: “Following from their argument, in the interests of our customers, we have decided to remove Crabbie’s from our new drinks menu which is due to launch soon as we wouldn’t want to ‘confuse’ our customers.”
Twitter followers have given their whole-hearted support to the brewery, urging Crabbie’s to let them keep their name title.
Twitter user Bacon on the beach posted: “I think it’s appalling how Crabbie’s UK are bullying TicketyBrew Nobody would mistake your industrially sweet sugar water for real ale!”
Another, Ten Inch Wheels joked: “Went to buy a bottle of Crabbie’s and came back with a bottle of TicketyBrew beer by mistake’ said nobody, ever.”
And now Northern Quarter bar Kosmonaut have waded into the row with a particularly inflammatory tweet: “.@CrabbiesUK How on earth do you think people will confuse craft beer from @TicketyBrew with the sugary piss water alcopops you peddle?”
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