Last updated 17:00, Wednesday, 30 July 2008

• View more pictures...

LOGO WAR: The Barrow logo, unveiled on March 17, and Blackburn's version, revealed on May 23

BARROW Borough Council is involved in a logo row with Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council over possible copyright infringement.
The Love Barrow logo, which hangs proudly from the Cooke Building on Abbey Road and on either side of BAE Systems DDH, was publicly unveiled on March 17.
Blackburn’s green ‘B’ design, which appears to be identical apart from the colour, was revealed to the public more than two months later, on May 23.
Now Barrow’s Heart of Barrow Publicity Group has said it will be holding a meeting in the next few weeks to discuss the situation.
Val Holden, regeneration officer at Barrow Borough Council, said: “The logos represent two entirely different campaigns but I think we have a strong case. Our logo was granted automatic copyright status when it was unveiled to the public on March 17 and I have since registered the design with the UK Copyright Registration Service.”
James Knight, a managing partner at national firm Lawyers Direct, explained that there are two ways to copyright a trademark.
He said: “Either you can register the trademark with the Copyright Registration Service or it gains automatic copyright status when it is produced in the public domain. It does not matter if it is coincidental or not, if the law find there are substantial similarities, copyright infringement will still apply.”
Brendan Pittaway, of PR company Mason Media which represents Blackburn council, said Blackburn’s logo was initially presented to the council on February 13.
He said: “If the Blackburn logo had been designed after Barrow’s logo had been unveiled then there would a possibility of coincidental copyright infringement, but in this case timing precludes any suggestion of that.”
Mrs Holden said the Love Barrow logo was shown to the Heart of Barrow committee on January 25.
She explained that although Barrow has no animosity towards the people of Blackburn, she felt it was unfair they are claiming their logo was
designed before Barrow’s.
She said: “My main concern is that it will either weaken our brand or it will make people think our logo is less special.
“If Blackburn start shouting about it, you can guarantee the people of Barrow would shout back much louder.”
The Evening Mail can also exclusively reveal that Barrow paid £140 for the Love Barrow logo, whereas Blackburn paid £60,000 for its campaign – over 400 times more.
Steve Nicholas, director of Manchester design firm Creative Lynx which designed Blackburn council’s logo, said he believed theirs was better.
He said: “Ours is more wide ranging, and I think looks a lot better.”
Matthew Richardson, of Cactus Creative Ltd in Kendal, created the Love Barrow logo and defends his design’s individuality. He said: “From my point of view it’s very interesting that the two designs are so similar, but it is purely coincidental.
“The wrap went up in Barrow two months before Blackburn’s. I think it’s funny that the other company are saying theirs is better – there’s no question of subjectivity when two designs are practically the same.”
Mrs Holden also said the Manchester firm which designed Blackburn’s logo had previously asked to be considered for the Barrow rebranding contract – but the Kendal firm were successful in landing the deal.
She said: “I’ve known them for a few years, and when they heard we were rebranding the town, they asked if we would consider them when offering the contract to design companies.”
Mr Pittaway believes the whole issue has been blown out of proportion, describing it as a case of “great minds think alike”.
He said: “It’s a happy coincidence. Neither council could have had sight of each other’s designs before they were in the public domain.”

• Where would you rather live, Barrow or Blackburn? Vote on the right hand side of this page.