NTS and Hilltrek shake on Glencoe trademark
THE NATIONAL Trust for Scotland has come to an agreement with an Aboyne-based outdoor clothing company over the use of the trademark for ‘Glencoe’, writes Neill Bo Finlayson.
Following constructive meetings between the trust’s director of customer and cause, Mark Bishop, and Hilltrek Outdoor Clothing’s Dave Shand, the two parties have agreed to recognise Hilltrek’s prior rights to the use of the word ‘Glencoe’.
Hilltrek, which had received a letter earlier this month from NTS stating it was in breach of trademark, has been manufacturing and selling its ‘Glencoe’ jacket for almost 30 years.
Mr Bishop said: ‘On this occasion, we got it wrong. If we had done our homework on Hilltrek before our lawyers contacted them, it would have been clear that this was a Scottish company which has been manufacturing this product with this name for a number of years. Our first response would then have been to come to a mutual agreement over the issue, which is what we have now achieved.
‘I am pleased to say that there will be no restriction on Hilltrek continuing to use Glencoe as before as the name of this product line.’
Mr Shand, director at Hilltrek Clothing, added: ‘I am delighted that we were able to come to an agreement so quickly.
‘As I have said before, the National Trust for Scotland does a lot of good work protecting and caring for the places our customers enjoy. I urge people to go on supporting the charity and the work it does.’