I don't know, the logo is close enough that it had me wondering in and asking, we will see.

I had responses from both the Sun and Tim Hortons, I'll post the replies later this evening.

OK, so this is the response I got from Tim Hortons.

I then replied with the link to flicker, to which Sheila replied;

So, there you have it, I walk by there most days so I'll keep an eye out to see if any changes take place, different logo or something...

The guy from the Sun, Kevin Hann, just asked for a number to contact me on, but so far I have heard nothing, again I'll let you know if I hear anything.

Thanks.

But you did.

This is, without doubt, the most mean-spirited, petty, spiteful and malicious thread I've read in BE. What on earth do you gain from trying to sink a hole in somebody's newly-opened business?

Tim Horton's Inc. is big enough and rich enough to defend it's own business as it sees fit. This poor guy probably never would have been on their radar, but you can now bet your bottom dollar that some Toronto journo has passed this on to TH, whose lawyers will in all likelihood now come down on him like a ton of bricks. Maybe even close him down.

If you are SO infatuated by the Tim Horton's brand, I hope you have the courage to go in and tell the guy that it was you who grassed him up, and the reasons why.

I really am appalled at what I've read in this thread. Please do keep us updated with the consequences of your snitching.

Yeah, you are so "appalled" you want to know what's going on. I'll tell you what what appalls me shall I, people that think they have the right to sponge off other peoples hard work, yes Tim Hortons is a big brand but they are big because of the work put in behind the scenes, over a long period of time. Do you think I like companies like Microsoft who are too big, no I don't but that doesn't mean I think copying their software is right.

You mention that Tims is big enough to fight its own battles, I agree, but how would they ever know about something that isn't even in their home country? Tim Hortons, or any other company for that matter have a right to defend their intellectual property.

It's fine that you think like that, I understand where you are coming from but in the end it's about the customer, and I for one was very let down once I realised it was a cheap fake of a great brand, so I'm OK with letting Tim Hortons know.

Thanks for your comment though, I will keep you updated.

Sorry, ukleaf, but I don't buy any of that.

You didn't go into a Tim Horton's, you went into a "Timmies". You may have been disappointed that it was a poor imitation of a brand you obviously adore, but hey - on every high street there are looky-likey pizza chains and burger chains. That's just business I'm afraid. The guy obviously applied for permission to open his company and the store, so what business is it of yours?

As for "giving Tim Horton's a bad name" - how many of this guys customers in Leeds have any idea that this is an imitation of a Tim Horton's? Probably just a tiny minority.

By the way, given your highly moralistic stance, I hope you have never bought a pirate DVD or copycat watch, or any branded gear from an unlicensed market stall, nor downloaded music or movies illegally, or copied a computer game...

I think it's my business as a consumer, this is a brand I love, I personally don't want jokers like this trying to be something they are not, that's exactly why there are copyright laws in place, to protect people and companies.

Look, I don't want them to go out of business, I just wanted to let Tim Hortons know they were there, give them a chance to protect their brand image. If a company or individual goes in to business with something they know isn't quite right then they are taking a huge risk, a calculated risk at that.

I'm not saying I'm perfect and have never done anything wrong before, don't get me wrong but the older I get the more I think about these things. If this were 10 years ago I wouldn't have battered an eyelid but things change, a persons perspective changes.

I do agree with some of the things you're saying, there are fakes everywhere, but it doesn't make it right, and I will stick up for the brands that I am fond of, whether that is a group who's music I like or a coffee shop that I only get to go in to maybe once a year.

At the very least it has sparked some debate as to whether either one of us thinks it's right to notify a business of possible copyright infringement.

ANy way - I went to the Canadian High Comission in London today for a job interview. The interviwers had all been in Leeds last week - we were having a coffee and I said "OOh is it Timmies?" Theysaid - oh no, sorry, but do you know that there was a fake one in Leeds we saw last week!!

SO there!

But somehow I doubt that the CHC officers were spiteful enough to report it to Tim Horton's legal department, the Toronto Sun and the Toronto Star.

So there.

Amazing that people can get so worked up about what is probably the poorest coffee on earth.

hmm - wasnt CHC it was Calgary City PLanners - and as us Planners are hateful old bats who hate to see people doing anything that we could possibly sting em for - yup they probably will when they get back!!

so so so there


Ps Souv - YOu following me ?

There must be worse coffee than Tim Horton's.

I know I've tasted a few, Starbucks for one.

As far as the original thread goes I don't see how people could be so stupid as to think that this particular store would have any connection to a Tim Horton's franchise.

Tim Horton's has never to my knowledge marketed itself as Timmies. Patrons may refer to it that way but the organisation itself has never been anything else but Tim Horton's.

No.

I don't know, there are a lot of spiteful people in government, I wouldn't be too surprised. ;-)

Also, I didn't report them to the Toronto Star, it was the Sun only, just thought I would put that forward, for the sake of accuracy.

oh -

thought I had my very own stalker then!

oh well back to the drawing board!

I don't know, wouldn't it make sense for a company like that to change things slightly when trying to break a new market? The majority of people over in England don't know the legendary defence-man Tim Horton, let alone the fact that Tims is massive in Canada, a little re-branding never did anyone any harm.