Harrods spreads name check

Press, 22 May 1986, Page 33

Harrods spreads name check

PA Auckland A third New Zealand business has come under the scrutiny of the London department store, Harrods. The vigilant company has traced a kiwifruit i farmer who owns a small construction company in the Northland town of Maungatapere, near Whangarei, reports the “Auckland Star.” David Harrod, aged 37, the son of another businessman also approached by the store for using his family name, received a lawyer’s letter about calling his company Harrod Construction. He said he has also had a private investigator checking the business, and studying the letterhead he uses.

“It is farcical really, I have been sent some funny letters telling me not to use my name. Under New Zealand law, though, I can. “I think Harrods must want to move into New Zealand in some way ... introduce tfa,eir cigarettes or something. That is what could be behind this.”

Mr Harrod received a letter a month ago from an Auckland lawyer.

It said that Harrods (the store) had a substantial reputation round the world, not only for its London shop but for its wide variety of products.

It asked that David Harrod refrain from using the name Harrods, Harrod or anything similar fons>m-

mercial purposes. It also asked him to acknowledge receipts of the letter. He did not.

Meanwhile, Mr David Harrod’s father, Mr Henry Harrod, has had a writ served on him by the High Court, after demands by Harrods that he stop trading under the name he has used in business for 30 years. Mr Henry Harrod runs a catering and restaurant business and, before that, ran a clothing manufacturing firm.

Mr David Harrod said his father had had one brush with the venerable institution before, when he put out a line of dresses with the label, Harrods of New Zealand. Harrods reacted, but

Mr Henry Harrod found he could legally use his name and the place where the garment was made on the label. So he dropped just the word “of.”

A small Wellington tailoring company, Harachs, has also been told not to use the name.

The whole affair is annoying other New Zealand Harrods, who do not think their Knightsbridge namesake is playing fair. Steve Harrod, aged 23, of Auckland, thinks the British have "got a nerve.”

“I don’t think it is any of their business to come down to this part of the world. You have got every right to use your own nagj£.”

But. Mr Stephen Harrod’s grandmother, Mary Harrod, aged 85, of Lower Hutt, thinks Henry Harrod should keep his name in the singular to avoid confusion.

Also not impressed with the carry-on is Ronald Harrod, a retired engineer, of Trentham. He thinks it is not fair to stop someone using his own name.

A spokeswoman for Harrods store said the company had every sympathy for small entrepreneurs because that was how it had started last century.

“But because Harrod’s name has been built up to what it is today, we must make every effort to protect it,” she said.