One is a kebab shop, the other, well, it isn’t...
ONE is a world famous cabaret club, the other a Tyneside kebab shop...but Paris’s Moulin Rouge has been locked in a furious row with the takeaway which sahres its name.
The French nightclub took a break from the can can to launch a complaint against the kebab and pizza shop of the same name on The Garth, Winlaton, Gateshead.
Pizzeria owner Kemal Oz has run the shop since 2016, but the dispute centres on the takeaway’s use of the website domain moulinrougewinlaton. co.uk for their online delivery service.
Complainant Moulin Rouge SA - the company which owns the trademark brought the row to the attention of Nominent, the internet domain watchdog for UK websites, claiming the registration of the website was “abusive”.
The ruling found the takeaway was “seeking to associate” the business with the famous cabaret through the use of press cuttings and posters and John Huston’s 1952 film of the same name.
Independent expert Tony Willoughby wrote he was “satisfied” Mr Oz was “blissfully unaware” he had infringed upon any rights.
Mr Willoughby continued: “The images of the respondent’s online takeaway kebab, pizza and burger menus conjure up none of the ambience of the Complainant’s establishment - quite the reverse.”
But the expert found the use of the name constituted trademark infringement, and labelled the adoption of the name “reckless” and “morally reprehensible”.
Mr Willoughby finished: “The fact that the respondent may have been unaware of the complainant’s trade mark rights (as opposed to the existence of the complainant’s establishment) is an insufficient basis on the facts of this case to lead to a finding in favour of the respondent.”
Tickets for the glamorous Paris show featuring choreographed dancing and flamboyantly-dressed showgirls start from 87 euros. In contrast, the most expensive dish on the menu at the Winlaton takeaway is just £9.
The Nominet ruling concluded the domain name will be transferred to complainant Moulin Rouge SA.
The Chronicle has contacted the takeaway for comment.