Exclusive: British sportswear firm is seeking to obtain rights to The Conditioning Club, which is also the name of a Gloucestershire gym
Gymshark, the £1bn British sportswear firm started in a family garage, is locked in a trademark battle that threatens the future of a small fitness business.
Ben Francis, the university dropout who started sewing his own gym clothes in his parents’ garage and is now estimated to be worth £800m, is trying to add The Conditioning Club to his Gymshark stable of trademarks.
However, The Conditioning Club is also the name of a gym and fitness business based on an industrial estate in the Gloucestershire town of Fairford.
Founded by John Watson, who is the same age as 34-year-old Francis, the company registered its name at the UK Intellectual Property Office (UKIPO) for gym and fitness services five years ago.
Watson, who has nine staff and three self-employed personal trainers serving about 500 members, is now awaiting the outcome of proceedings by the UKIPO.
“When I registered our name, I thought I had done what I needed to do to protect us,” says Watson. “Five years later, we have members, employees, premises, relationships with schools and sports clubs and a genuine local community built around The Conditioning Club name.
