Former Liverpool footballer Jamie Redknapp is facing backlash after his luxury fashion brand threatened legal action against a small family-run paddleboard business in Dorset. The dispute centres on the use of the name 'Sandbanks', the exclusive peninsula where both businesses have connections.
The David and Goliath Legal Clash
Andy Belcher founded Sandbanks Style over a decade ago, naming his watersports company after the prestigious Poole harbour location where he lives and operates. The business, which has since been handed to his son Jordan, 30, sells paddleboards, kayaks and changing robes from its shop on the peninsula.
Redknapp co-founded his high-end clothing label Sandbanks in 2019 and is now threatening to sue both the company and Jordan Belcher personally unless they cease using the area's name and destroy stock valued at £350,000.
Andy Belcher, who knows Jamie's father Harry Redknapp, expressed his disappointment, stating: 'I know Harry and when this all came out I didn't want to take his name to the paper but I think he would be embarrassed by this situation.'
Behind the Trademark Dispute
The legal battle has been brewing for over a year, with Redknapp's parent company, Saint Witz Ltd, initiating proceedings at the Intellectual Property and Enterprise Court on November 6. Despite Sandbanks Style operating since 2014 - five years before Redknapp's fashion brand - the ex-footballer's company trademarked the word 'Sandbanks' in September 2018 for bags and clothing.
Belcher revealed they had attempted compromise, offering to alter their logo after meetings with Redknapp's representatives. 'They appeared to accept that but three days later they served court papers on us,' he told the Daily Mail.
The small business owner described the actions as 'bullying' and 'scaremongering to try and shut us down', noting that other local businesses with Sandbanks in their name have faced similar challenges.
Environmental Credentials and Local Support
Both companies claim environmental credentials, though their product offerings differ significantly. Redknapp's brand sells premium outdoor clothing made from recycled plastics, with jackets costing up to £1,000, while Sandbanks Style focuses on watersports equipment and has planted 34,000 trees - one for each paddleboard sold.
Despite the legal threats, the fashion brand isn't actually based in Sandbanks. Its headquarters are located five miles away in an anonymous office block on an industrial estate, sandwiched between a signwriter and a skip hire company.
Andy Belcher, a former Hewlett Packard executive, has secured pro-bono legal support from contacts outraged by the case. However, he emphasised the strain on the business: 'It threatens any decision we are now making for next year. It's taken a lot of investment in our time that would be much better placed on working to grow the business.'
Sam Harman, creative director of Redknapp's Sandbanks brand, defended their position: 'We have attempted for many months to settle the matter... We are not trying to bully anyone. We simply want Sandbanks Style Limited to continue their successful paddleboard business without damaging our own.'
The case continues as the small family business fights to retain the name it has used for nearly a decade in its home location.
