Conran blocks Mean Fiddler's Zincbar name

Sir Terence Conran has forced Vince Power, owner of the Mean Fiddler bars and music venues, to change the name of his north London Zincbar.

Mr Power's bar, which opened in December 1996, was first called Zincbar and later changed its name to Zn Bar when Sir Terence began legal proceedings for infringement of trademark.

Sir Terence, whose first Zinc Bar and Grill opens in central London in August, registered the trademark Zinc in 1995. High Court judge Mr Justice Robert Walker last week granted a permanent injunction preventing Mean Fiddler using the words zincbar, zinc, sinc, sync, Zn or ZN.

"It's a bad judgement but I don't think there's any point pursuing it," said Mr Power, who said he had never planned to roll out Zincbar as a brand.

The bar will now be known as Z Bar, said Mr Power, who admitted both parties were still arguing over costs, which are to be paid by him.