It’s Oor cafe, your cafe.. a’body’s cafe

FROM COMICS TO CATERING Wullie takeaways trademarked

Oor Wullie takeaways and restaurants could soon be on the menu.

The creators of Scotland’s iconic comic strip want to trademark the spiky- haired scamp’s name for catering.

They have applied to the Intellectual Property Office for legal protection.

But the choices when dining a la carte may be limited as the comic strip legend’s favourite food is mince and tatties.

Tom Morton , r e t i r ed broadcaster and former scriptwriter for Oor Wullie and The Broons, claimed he was already drooling at the thought.

He said: “I hope that any chain of Oor Wu l l ie ca f es or restaurants wi l l feature hand- guddled salmon and scrumped apple pie.

“I look forward to seeing off icial Oor Wullie buckets, catapults and soapbox bogies on sale in the near future.”

He added: “I suppose the trademarking of Wullie is long overdue – the commercialisation of the Broons has been fairly full- on over the past few years, and quite rightly so.

“I still treasure my official Maw Broon Porridge Spurtle.

“I think this may be a sign that pubishers DC Thomson have recognised what appears to be a kind of creeping, informal use of Oor Wul l ie imager y in various contexts, and are seeking to protect what is, after all, their intellectual property.”

The application was filed before Chr i s tmas and appeared in the latest issue of the Trade Marks Journal.

It covers use of Oor Wullie for “cafes, restaurants and bar services; fast food services; take- away fast food services; providing of food and drink; [and] catering services”.

Scotland’s favourite son turned 80 last year and shows no signs of slowing down, or losing his appeal.

The boy from Auchenshoogle has been causing PC Murdoch grief for more than eight decades.

In his dungarees and tackety boots he took hi s f i r st mischievous steps into cultural history in March 1936 – with his pals Fat Bob, Wee Eck, Soapy Joe and Primrose Paterson, who had a soft spot for our hero.

Ye s t e r d ay a DC Thomson spokeswoman said: “We sometimes review our intellectual property and trademark to protect it.”