Melbourne pub told to ditch Harry Potter references
The Imperial Hotel in Melbourne has been ordered to ditch its unofficial Harry Potter themed references used at its rooftop bar.
The pub had a Harry Potter inspired installation and sold Buttah Beer from its taps. However, Warner Br os. didn’t see anything magical in the pub’s intellectual property infringements and took legal action to stop it.
The pub had a “Vertic Alley”, similar to Harry Potter’s Diagon Alley, while the menu featured Buttah Beer and “Harry’s platter”.
“Anything that is themed Harry Potter must have a legal contract with Warner Bros to ensure that Harry Potter intellectual property is managed correctly, and all above board,” said Warner Bros Australia senior marketing manager Stephanie Demajo.
“They went all themselves, without contacting Warner Bros in advance. If they had come to Warner Bros originally and worked out a deal, it may have been able to go ahead.”
The pub is only a few doors down from the Princess Theatre where the Harry Potter and the Cursed Child play runs eight times a week.
Sheridan Randall, 8th May 2019
