LONDON SOUND - THE NAME

 

Do you like the name "London Sound"?  I do, which is why I registered the name in 1969.  I have to admit to being surprised at the time to find no one else had thought to register the name before me, and to being very pleased!

Unfortunately, others followed - for details of two of the more recent, see London Sound Survey below and click the link to Capital Radio, (but note that Capital Radio now seem to have given up using my name, though have not yet had the decency to apologise.

 

The name London Sound is my established trade mark, registered Business Name, and is Copyright.

The following notes are mainly addressed to those who want to use the name London Sound without permission, but may be of interest to others - especially the brief life history of Mike Solomons, the founder of London Sound.

 

LONDON SOUND SURVEY

I was told about this latest user mid December 2011and have asked them to stop using the name. I'm sure they will, as continuing to use my name is likely to prove a costly mistake. In addition, it can hardly aid their image of credibility or integrity!

It will be interesting how long it will take.

 

London Sound Consultancy

In the 1970's, the first serious infringement problem occurred when a business calling itself "London Sound Consultancy" placed a substantial, (and rather expensive), advertisement claiming that they could supply high quality hi-fi equipment. I was very angry, and telephoned them. Initially I was 'stonewalled', but in the end discovered that they were aware of my business, but believing me to be "only a repairer", didn't think it would matter! After receiving the legal papers prior to instituting proceedings through the Court, they swiftly closed down!

This was an effective way for me to protect my name, but was tedious, unpleasant, and expensive. I also had the unhappy feeling that I had destroyed the dreams of a new business.

London Sounds

The next challenger was a small chain of record shops. I wrote to them, warning them of the problem, then sat back and waited. They traded for a short while, then "went away". I never found out if their use of my name destabilised them, or if they failed for other reasons, or continued but under a different name. Maybe someone will tell me one day - I hope it was the last option.

London Sound - The radio station

Never heard of them? Not a surprise! They were quite far advanced when I first heard of them, with some 'big names' on the team - but they forgot to carry out a survey of users of the name to see if the name was available! Realising that this was a very serious challenge, I asked them either to change their name to a unique name of their own, or take out an inexpensive licence from me, (to ensure that use of the name would be controlled in a way that would ensure that I was not harmed - with financial compensation for any inconvenience). They did neither, so I wrote to the Licensing Authority at the time. As everyone knows, they never obtained a broadcasting licence.

London Sound Centre

This is a more recent case, and a puzzle. For some years, I received telephone calls from rather confused callers believing that I would hire out audio equipment. At first I simply told them that London Sound could not help with whatever they were asking about. I then discovered that they had somehow obtained my telephone number, when they believed they were calling a company in the Portobello Road area. I warned London Sound Centre of the problems, and met a rather negative response. After a while, the calls stopped. Did they go out of business, or are they still flourishing, but under another name? I am sorry, I really do not know. I wish them no harm, so hope they changed name and are now succeeding.

I add a rather sad postscript - just before Easter 2006, I was advised that they had gone out of business a while ago. So sad.

 

 

Again and again!

Again and again, I come across people and businesses small and large using the name. I now adopt a policy of warning, cautioning, and advising. Some accept my advice, but many become angry, and often argue that the words "London Sound" are just words that "everyone uses".

It is quite reasonable to use the words in everyday conversation, maybe, for example, to describe a noisy street as having a typical London sound.

However, as soon as the words form a title, my rights to the name are challenged, and a legal claim of breach of copyright results. Also, a claim of breach of my established Trade Mark, and Registered Business name exists.

So, if you do decide to risk it, what will happen to you? Consider the period over which I have had sole rights. Businesses small and large have challenged me, and without exception, as you can easily find out, all have eventually failed. Trading with a name to which they have no right wastes resources and ultimately is doomed to failure.

And what if you come across another business using my name that has not yet failed or been stopped? On the basis of past performance of other businesses failing, I would advise not to offer credit! And if expected to entrust anything of value - eg expensive equipment for repair - be careful!

But, you may ask, why should I have sole rights to such a good, snappy name, and only use if for my hi-fi repair business?

Shouldn't I let others use it?

Yes - but!

The "but" is that it is my name, so I should have some acknowledgement. I offer a licence, with terms tailored by negotiation to suit the individual use licensed. The licence fee is set at a fair and reasonable level, as I seek acknowledgement rather than excessive profits. Licensed users show a small print acknowledgement.

But for those who use the name knowing it is mine, but without a licence, and without acknowledgement, I call you "Thief". And I also suggest, dear reader, if they would try to 'steal' my identity, it makes you wonder if you can trust them either - - -

 

So

 

Who am I?

 

My name is Mike Solomons

Born at an early age, as the joke goes, I grew up in Edgware, north west London.

As a child, I was obstinate, (I have now mended my ways - I am now persistent!). Until seven, I refused to try to read - then was given a book on electrical wiring! I read it cover to cover!

At eleven, I recall showing a portable radio that I had designed and built to friends at school. It wasn't very good - but it was mine, (and not copied - it was my own design!).

By my mid teens, I had a good home hi-fi in my bedroom - built from mainly bits of world war two surplus army radio equipment!

And at 16, as a member of JYVS, a voluntary service group for teenagers, I started Radio Edgware, London's first Hospital Radio Station. Soon afterwards I was involved in a number of others, including Radio Brockley, (now London's longest running - http://www.radiobrockley.org ), Radio Mount Vernon, with a small interest, to name a few, in Radio Harrow, Radio Northwick Park, Radio Hampstead, and The Royal Free Network.

Then I went into business.

The business was originally called "Radio and Hi-Fi Service" - but this was a bit of a mouthful, so I re-named it London Sound in 1969, registering the name, as was a legal requirement at the time. Interestingly, it was at that time impossible to register a name already registered, so I have absolute proof that I definitely have been using the name since 1969, and that no one else was using it before!

Over the years, London Sound has changed. Starting as a small business operating from home, it moved to a small shop at 70 West Street, Harrow-on-the-Hill in 1972. In 1980, as my then landlord wanted to redevelop the property, I had to move, and took London Sound to Eastcote. The shop in Eastcote, at 266 Field End Road, was larger, more convenient, and demolished for redevelopment in 1990! Realising that renting shops was a recipe for disaster, I bought the freehold of the present shop in 1990, (a distinctly painful experience - freehold shops are very expensive!). It is an interesting place, as it is tiny at the front - about three metres wide, but it gets wider as we go back behind another shop - and it goes back quite a long way!

So what makes London Sound special? There are many repairers of hi-fi, but, as far as I am aware, none in the country quite match it. Operating from premises owned freehold, without a mortgage, means we are stable. Operating with an open door in a high street means we are accessible. Also providing free estimates and a 12 month guarantee on all paid for repairs makes us, as far as I am aware, unique!

Apart from rare occasions, we do not sell, so our repair pricing is aimed for your business, not to persuade you to buy a replacement, (because if you do, as I do not sell it to you, I make no money - I only am paid if you agree a repair!).

And can it be mended? I am not the only repairer to specialise in older units where manufacturers cannot supply original spares - but such repairers are rare!

It is also rare to be given a free estimate on request.

And rarer still, are independent repairers guaranteeing their work for twelve months - in writing, (I know of only two other established independent repairer who do this!). The 12 month guarantee is very important - if a repairer only has the confidence to guarantee his work for a short time - typically 30 to 90 days, then as he has little confidence in his abilities, it makes no sense for you to think otherwise!

But to find the lot all at one address - I have claimed it to be unique for many years, and have only once been challenged - but it turned out to be a bogus challenge!

That's enough of the business - so what about the personal information?

As I said above, I was born at an early age on February 23rd 1948, in London. In 1976, I married Sharon. Regularly I tease her that it's ok for now as newly marrieds - but I wonder if the relationship will last when we've been married for a while? With our thirty fifth anniversary in 2011, we still are in the newly married stage, (at least I keep saying so!).

We have two children, Ruth and David, who are both brilliant in their own fields, art and computers. See Ruth's website by Googling Ruth Solomons.

And as I age, I remain a happy and confident individual, who enjoys helping people. My chosen business means that I am paid to help people with hi-fi equipment, which does bring so much pleasure. What more could I ask of life?

 

 

 

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