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David Lloyd Battles His Own Brand Over New Venture
3 Jan
Summary
- Gym founder David Lloyd is in a legal dispute with his former company.
- The conflict centers on his right to use his name for a new pickleball venture.
- David Lloyd's company fears public confusion over branding similarities.
Former tennis star David Lloyd is engaged in a legal conflict with David Lloyd Leisure, the company that acquired his eponymous gym chain three decades ago. The core of the dispute is Mr. Lloyd's endeavor to launch a new £60 million pickleball and padel venture, named David Lloyd's Sports Gardens, which he plans to promote using his own name.
David Lloyd Leisure, which operates over 137 clubs, is seeking an injunction against the website for Mr. Lloyd's new project. The company asserts ownership of trademarks related to the 'David Lloyd' name and expresses concern that the new Sports Gardens concept will cause significant public confusion. This concern is amplified as some planned locations for the new venture already feature existing David Lloyd leisure centers.
Mr. Lloyd, 78, who previously had a deed allowing him to use his name for non-sports activities, argues that his new venture is distinct and not in direct competition. He highlights that the Sports Gardens will not operate on a membership system, differentiating it from the established leisure centers. The legal correspondence from David Lloyd Leisure accuses Mr. Lloyd of falsely representing his new business as being affiliated with them.
