Press Release

Novelli Takes Pub Chain to High Court - 28/02/2010

This month, the litigation team led by Dean Dunham, acted for the celebrity chef, Jean-Christophe Novelli and his company Novelli Associates Limited in their successful application in the High Court for an interim injunction.

The purpose of the injunction was to stop the Defendants from using the name “Novelli” in signage, marketing and promotional material at The White Horse in Harpenden as this was misleading the general public into believing that Jean-Christophe Novelli was associated with them, “I had previously been a shareholder and consultant to The White Horse in Harpenden and The French Horn in Steppingly” explained Mr Novelli. “Sweet Medicine, the company managing the venues, not my company I must add, ceased trading in January of this year”.

After the Novelli head offices had been inundated with increasing complaints, he had no other course of action but to instruct Dunham Law to issue proceedings in the High Court after producing evidence that menus, staff uniforms and interior décor still bore the Novelli name.

Mr Novelli also discovered that vouchers had been sold by the previous owners for the White Horse and French Horn restaurants and that obviously the restaurants now could not honour them. Mr Novelli commented “I am devastated that loyal customers have been left with vouchers that they cannot use”. Mr Novelli has confirmed that vouchers purchased before January 2009, will be honoured at Dunham Novelli Urban Bar Kitchen in Northampton which he co-owns with Dunham Law Managing Partner, Dean Dunham, when they are presented with dated proof of purchase.

Dean Dunham stated “it was clear that the risk to our client’s fantastic reputation was huge and that customers were liable to be very disappointed. I am pleased that the injunction was granted so as to protect against both of these issues”.

Failure to obey an injunction can mean that those subject to it and anyone helping them will be held in contempt of Court, may have their assets impounded by the Court and could be fined, imprisoned or both.

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