Beatles' birthplace battles Hard Rock Cafe

In 1961, new band The Beatles took up a residency at The Cavern Club in Liverpool. Now the site is stuck in a legal battle with the Hard Rock Cafe.

The Liverpool club that launched The Beatles is on a long and winding road to win a legal stoush against the Hard Rock Cafe.

In 1961, The Cavern Club was frequented by the then fledgling 50s rock'n'roll cover band.

The up-and-comers eventually started writing their own music, and the rest is history.

But now the legendary cellar bar is taking the Hard Rock Cafe, which has trademarked "Cavern" in the US, to court in a battle to determine who owns the rights to use the name.

Cavern director Dave Jones says if the legendary Liverpool cellar bar isn't able to obtain the trademark, the next generation might mistakenly think The Beatles cut their teeth in the US.

"What origin can Hard Rock Cafe claim to have with the Cavern Club? Absolutely none," he told ABC Radio on Friday.

Although the action seeks to appeal the original US trademark ruling, the American franchise is currently only using the name for a few rooms in some cafes so it won't be taken away from them, Jones says.

Hard Rock Cafe successfully registered the trademark in the US in the early 2000s, but has been locked in a bitter legal battle with the owners of the Liverpudlian site since 2005.

Hard Rock Cafe has been contacted for comment.


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Source: AAP


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