Great North Run name row 'a little over the top'

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-33224103

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Organisers of the famous Great North Run have admitted being "a little over the top" in a trademark dispute involving a charity race staged in a small Welsh village.

The Narth Run, which attracts only a few dozen participants, was forced to drop the word "Great" for Sunday's event in Monmouthshire.

Organiser Steve Coppell said it had been "tongue-in-cheek".

The Great Run Company said the sides have now had "a very amicable chat".

Mr Coppell told BBC Newcastle: "When you live in a village called The Narth there really is only one thing to call your race, so slightly mischievously, tongue-in-cheek, as a bit of fun, we put the word 'Great' in front of our run and ran it quite happily for a couple of years.

'Little village event'

"After last year's run we got a solicitor's letter on behalf of Nova [since renamed The Great Run Company] who organise these splendid events the Great North Run and Great South Run etc, pointing out we'd inadvertently been infringing their trademark.

"They had actually trademarked the word 'Great' in connection with place names and sporting events."

Spanning 13.1 miles from Newcastle to South Shields, the Great North Run is staged annually after being launched in 1981.

Last September it attracted more than 57,000 participants and saw its one-millionth finisher cross the line.

The Great Run Company's David Hart said: "I must admit I hadn't heard of the Narth Run until a few days ago, but they did receive a letter from our solicitors.

"As a brand that's built up over the last 30 years or so we have to try to protect our identity, but I did feel sending the solicitor's letter was a little bit over the top for a little village event.

"When I heard about it I got in contact with the organisers and had a very amicable chat and we made a donation to them and are going to give them a couple of free entries to next year's event."