IT WAS meant to be “easy peasy” when Stephen Lawson set up his car valet business.
But the man running small operations in Clayton West and Wakefield has fallen foul of the “big boys” of business.
He has been threatened with legal action by the EasyGroup – the giant organisation which includes the travel firms easyJet and easyBus.
It is hardly surprising as Mr Lawson – who had registered the website easy-valet.com – chose orange as the colour of his workers’ uniforms and had signs bearing an all too familiar typeface.
“I may have been a bit naive but I never thought anyone could copyright the word ‘easy’, which is what they appear to have done.
“I never thought they would be bothered about a small operation in Clayton West, but the trouble started when I opened a second unit in Wakefield a month ago. All I can think is that someone has been in touch with them.
“Now I’ve got a 60-page letter warning me to stop using the name and the logo. I have offered to change the uniforms and signs to green and to change the name to Easi with an i, but they aren’t satisfied.
“I cannot afford to take them on, so I will probably have to change.”
It is not the first time companies have clashed with the giant conglomerate, which was founded by entrepreneur Stelios Haji-Ioannou.
In a statement, the company said: “Some people think they can make a fast buck by stealing our name and our reputation.
“They set up websites and companies using the name ‘easy’ (or phonetic versions of it) which can either pay a passing resemblance to an easyGroup company or be a direct copy.
“Sometimes these people ask us for money, sometimes they just hope consumers will think they are an easyGroup company and will part with their money.”
