PEACE has broken out between Cork and Dublin restaurateurs in what a judge in the Circuit Civil Court described as ‘a serious bunfight’ and by no means just a storm in a local teacup over name calling.
The case involved Son of a Bun (Nalgec Ltd) at 29 MacCurtain Street, Cork, and South Dublin café Son of the Bun (Urban Café Ltd).
Barrister Freddie Gilligan, addressing Judge Jacqueline Linnane on behalf of the Cork restaurant, owned by Niall O’Regan from Bandon, said the very close similarity in restaurant titles had been causing confusion among the inhabitants in both localities.
Mr Gilligan explained that the two businesses were involved in a trademark and passing-off dispute and Son of a Bun was seeking lawful restraints against Son of the Bun using the name of Son of the Bun or any such similar logo.
He said that between May and June 2020 the Cork-based Son of a Bun had received a number of pre-paid orders for hamburgers for collection. Having been prepared, they had never been collected and customers had demanded refunds. An investigation revealed that those who had placed the orders believed they had been dealing with the Dublin outlet.
Mr Gilligan said MDM Solicitors had written to Urbun Ltd asking them to stop using the ‘Son of the Bun’ logo but had been met with replies such as ‘this is a storm ‘in a local teacup’ and inviting the Cork company owners to join the Dublin outfit ‘in a cuppa.’
Judge Linnane said she considered the defendant’s reply to be sarcastic and certainly not a storm in a local teacup. The defendant’s attitude had been reflective of the manner in which the defendants had failed to engage.
Undertakings were given by Urbun Ltd to remove all signage, hoarding and images on social media and all online material under the style and title of ‘Son of the Bun’.
Son of the Bun agreed to re-direct any inquiries over the next four weeks to Son of a Bun which accepted it would highlight on its order page that it was a Cork-based restaurant.
