Whitchurch events venue renamed after trademark row

Dearnford Lake, near Whitchurch, as it was formerly known, will now be called Alderford.

It comes after a controversial row between Shropshire councillor Tom Biggins and his neighbours at the venue over trademarking the name.

Councillor Biggins said he has trademarked the name Dearnford to protect his historic 17th century home, which sits near the lake.

But Alderford owner Rob Bebbington said he now wants to move on from the very public dispute and believes the name fits perfectly for what he and his staff offer at the lake.

"We have decided to turn a negative into a positive," he said. "We could have contested the use of the name 'Dearnford' but it would have cost us trademark attorney fees and associated costs, and taken quite a time.

"So we are going to rename as Alderford. The alder tree is prolific on the site, and once we saw its attributes involved offering shelter, warmth and comfort, it seemed a natural choice.

"And yes, we have trademarked the name 'Alderford'.

"In the light of the support we have been given, we have decided to start a membership plan which is aimed at giving benefits to regular users – such as café discount days, cheaper bonfire tickets, and free access to car boot sales to name a few."

The alder tree, according to Mr Bebbington's research, has the capacity to heal emotions through its links with the element of water. Legends state that alder gives spiritual protection and it was advised that if you were heading for unavoidable confrontation, you should carry some alder with you.

A re-naming ceremony took place at the venue yesterday and the honour of unveiling the new name and logo was given to long-time supporters and users of the lake, TV vet Steve Leonard and Shropshire councillor Peggy Mullock.

Mr Leonard is a veterinary surgeon and TV presenter, featuring in many BBC wildlife productions including 'Vets in Practice', 'Vets in the Wild', and 'Trust Me, I'm a Vet'.

His home veterinary practice – Leonard Brothers Veterinary Centre – is in Whitchurch, but the partners also have another centre in Nantwich.

He said: "I'm delighted to be asked to help Alderford rebrand and relaunch. I love spending time down there.

"The lake and surrounding landscape is a great asset to Whitchurch. Rob, Lynn and the rest of the team have worked so hard to make sure it is a serene spot for coffee and a walk, and also an oasis for wildlife."