Premier Inn Hotels Ltd., the United Kingdom’s largest hotel chain, has launched a bold legal offensive, seeking the invalidation of EasyGroup‘s “easyHotel” trademark. This salvo comes in response to allegations of trademark infringement over Premier Inn’s “rest easy” marketing campaign.
EasyHotel TM Revoking Request : Premier Inn Strikes Back
On October 5, Premier Inn struck back with a High Court counterclaim that it has now made public. The hotel giant argues that EasyGroup’s roster of marks, which includes various versions of “easyHotel” and “easy,” is fundamentally flawed. Premier Inn contends that these marks consist of distinct signs but were erroneously registered as one.
This legal showdown rekindles a thorny issue stemming from the Court of Appeal’s ruling in Comic Enterprises v. Twentieth Century Fox Film Corp, which upheld the registration of a series of similar marks as a single entity. Notably, although the UK Supreme Court initially agreed to hear the case, it ultimately concluded with a settlement between the parties. Nevertheless, Premier Inn asserts that the principles enunciated in the case remain binding on the High Court and offers a potential roadmap for their counterclaim.
Premier Inn vs. EasyGroup
Premier Inn not only challenges the validity of EasyGroup’s marks but also mounts a vigorous defense against EasyGroup’s infringement claims. The hotel giant pledges to persist in using its “rest easy” slogan, introduced in April 2021 as part of a rebranding campaign.
