Grylls lawyers want knife name changed
Lawyers for a company linked to TV adventurer Bear Grylls have demanded a small UK knife manufacturer change its name because it features the word "bear".
Dorset-based Bear Blades says it has received a letter from law firm Carpmaels & Ransford on behalf of Bear Grylls Ventures calling for the company to remove any reference to "bear", including from its name, logo and website.
Owen Senior, who set up Bear Blades in Swanage two years ago, says he plans to change his firm's name because he does not have "the energy or inclination" to fight the claim.
Grylls said he would "look into this" after Bear Blades raised its concerns with him on Twitter.
"We're bitterly disappointed," Mr Senior said.
"We're trying to build a small business - it's as much a hobby as it is a business - then someone completely faceless comes along and demands we change our name.
"We'll now look to rebrand because we don't have the energy or inclination to fight it."
Mr Senior says he has written to Carpmaels & Ransford to ask why they have made the request to his firm, which he claims has sold fewer than 100 knives this year.
Grylls, 40, has found fame in the UK, America and Australia through his survival television series, including Man Vs Wild and Running Wild With Bear Grylls. He has also collaborated with knife maker Gerber to create his own range of blades and tools.
A spokeswoman for Bear Grylls Ventures refused to comment. However, after Bear Blades tweeted Grylls today, he replied: "Let me look into this."
In a letter dated July 25, Carpmaels & Ransford request that Bear Blades change its name to remove the reference to "bear", withdraws it trademark application for its Bear Blades logo and cancels the registration of the domain name bearblades.co.uk.
Carpmaels & Ransford requested that Bear Blades respond to them by August 7.
"If you do not agree to these requests, our client reserves the right to take all necessary steps to protect its intellectual property rights," it said.
