Top gear: Dunfermline garage wins battle against fashion giant
Gary Fitzpatrick • Published 16 Mar 2012 08:55
8 Comments
A SMALL Dunfermline car repair firm has come out on top in a legal wrangle with global luxury fashion giants Dolce and Gabbana.
D&G Autocare was set up eight years ago in Rumblingwell and named after its owners, David Hunter and George Simpson.
David and George (pictured left and right in photograph) have grown a thriving business benefiting from a local reputation for good deals in carrying out MOTs, repairing exhausts, clutches, brakes, tyres and other car maintenance jobs.
However, they faced a real David v Goliath legal struggle against the super-cool Milan haute couture designer fashion label which offers a wide range of expensive clothes, jewellery, perfume and accessories.
Dunfermline's D&G duo have built up their business to nine sites in central Scotland, employing 45 staff and have further expansion plans.
They wanted to protect their own brand from any competitors and so applied for their registered trade mark and that is when the other D&G - the Italian fashion powerhouse Dolce and Gabbana - became involved through their legal team.
"The only ones to put in an objection were Dolce and Gabbana and they put in a considerable amount of complaints," said George.
"They're obviously a huge global name and it was quite daunting and time-consuming to come up against them.
"They could have thrown hundreds of thousands of pounds at a legal case to protect their brand.
"I thought, 'We're up against the big boys now' but our solicitors were great and stood firm," added George, praising the work of their Dunfermline-based lawyers, Young and Partners.
"They argued the case that we as a small garage company and Dolce and Gabbana in the fashion industry are in completely different fields.
"At the 11th hour they came back to negotiate with us. They were okay with it as long as we don't go into Europe.
"We're over the moon because this will help us protect our business, our workers' future and we can move forward.
"We had invested in our business, in our people and expanded based on a strong policy of customer care.
"We thought we might lose all that if we couldn't protect our business from others moving in so a few weeks ago it was doom and gloom. Now we couldn't be happier.
"As you can imagine to suddenly come up against Dolce and Gabbana was a real shock for a Dunfermline garage firm but it's fantastic news for us that we now have our registered trademark."
D&G Autocare have four centres in West Fife and have also expanded into Perth, Stirling, Glenrothes and Livingston.
Have your say. Post a comment on this article.
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Calimero
80 posts
Mar 16, 15:34
Report commentThis just goes to show that Dolce and Gabanna clearly think that consumers are not clever enough to be able to tell the difference between the two companies all by themselves. Its obvious that if you are looking to buy a belt, the vast majority of people out there are able to say whether its the kind your wear round your waist or a timing belt for the car.
Recommend?
Yes 19
No 4
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Johnnyboy1
18 posts
Mar 16, 16:21
Report comment"We're over the moon because this will help us protect our business, our workers' future and we can move forward"
Does this mean that you'll reduce the extortionate prices being charged at your Pitreavie branch guys? Getting a well-deserved reputation with local motorists (and also the trade) for being very very expensive. Recent example: replace rear arb bushes on a 2008 Vectra. George at D&G Pitreavie: £49.95 per side = £100 total. Curtis Vauxhall Dalgety Bay: £75 total (genuine Vauxhall parts). Local trusted garage in Dunfermline: £40 total.
Recommend? Yes 45
No 4
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supersonic
242 posts
Mar 17, 17:57
Report comment@Johnnyboy1 look at his Wayne Rooney hairdo mate! That's not cheap!
Recommend? Yes 20
No 3
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Johnnyboy1
18 posts
Mar 18, 17:34
Report comment -
benefithater
60 posts
Mar 20, 10:05
Report commentTerrible garage. They wanted 8 hours labour to change my clutch. Other local garage wanted 3 hours. Where are the press getting this information from about having a good reputation? I know of very few people that have used them being completely happy with the service.
Recommend? Yes 15
No 3
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Monet1
31 posts
Mar 21, 22:58
Report commentI have used this garage for years for both family cars, great service AND very reasonable costs!!! In fact, they do a lot of minor jobs for free - friendly garage by name, friendly garage by nature :-)
Recommend? Yes 6
No 8
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******
Mar 22, 07:40
Report commentThis comment has been removed by a moderator
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benefithater
60 posts
Mar 22, 11:42
Report comment#monet, Obviously you are the parents or relatives of the people pictured above... (garage owners)
Recommend? Yes 7
No 3
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AnonaH
2 posts
Mar 22, 13:51
Report commentWhere is a good garage in the town? My reliable mechanic has just retired :-( and I need somewhere else reliable that won't rip me off.
Ta :)
Recommend? Yes 2
No 0
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******
Mar 24, 01:39
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