All smiles as dentists celebrate crocodile victory over Lacoste

TWO dentists were celebrating victory yesterday after a trademark judge overruled a fashion giant’s protests at a crocodile symbol that adorns their private surgery.

Lacoste, the French clothing chain, claimed a grinning cartoon reptile on a welcome sign at The Dental Practice, in Cheltenham, was too similar to their own globally recognised logo.

But Dr Tim Rumney and Dr Simon Moore won the David and Goliath battle after the British Intellectual Property Office dismissed allegations their emblem could cause confusion among shoppers.

The battle began in September 2004, when the two principal practitioners tried to register their logo.

Dr Rumney said he was “astonished” his practice had encountered such difficulties.

He said: “We are happy the situation has been resolved but astonished by the length of time it took to reach this conclusion.

“I suppose it is a big success for our business but we certainly did not regard it as taking anyone on. We represented ourselves throughout. After jumping several hurdles our application was granted at the end of last year.”

Even though the dentists’ crocodile was plain green with white teeth, and their crocodile was side on, with gaping red jaws, Lacoste feared that the two logos could easily be confused.

The two dentists represented themselves against Lacoste’s legal team at the first hearing in May at the Intellectual Property Office in Newport.

Lacoste was ordered to pay a total of £1,450 (€1,940) towards the dentists’ legal costs.