Premetis v 260 Oxford Street Pty Ltd & Ors [2005] NSWSC 904

New South Wales Supreme Court

CITATION : Premetis v 260 Oxford Street Pty Ltd & Ors [2005] NSWSC 904

HEARING DATE(S) : 22/08/05, 23/08/05, 24/08/05, 25/08/05

JUDGMENT DATE : 8 September 2005

JUDGMENT OF : Gzell J

DECISION : Lessor entitled to injunctive relief for breach of contract, passing off and breach of the Trade Practices Act 1974 (Cth) and the Fair Trading Act 1987. Damages to be considered separately.

CATCHWORDS : CONTRACTS - General Contractual Principles - Construction and Interpretation of Contracts - Agreement for sale of business and goodwill - Whether unregistered trade name excluded from contract and purchasers/lessees granted a revocable licence to use the name - Whether a collaterall agreement to that effect - Whether evidence of pre-contract negotiations on use of name admissible - Whether restriction on use of name in later lease void as an attempt to assign future property or as an assignment of goodwill in gross - On expiration of lease, lessor opens business in same premises under now registered business name - Lessees threaten to continue business under the name from premises 200 metres away - Whether passing off - Whether misleading or deceptive conduct

Trade Practices Act 1974 (Cth) LEGISLATION CITED : Fair Trading Act 1987 Business Names Act 1962

Churton v Douglas (1859) Johns 174 (70 ER 385) Federal Commissioner of Taxation v Murry (1998) 193 CLR 605 Maas v Pepper [1905] AC 102 Codelfa Construction Pty Ltd v State Rail Authority of New South Wales (1981-1982) 149 CLR 337 De Lassalle v Guilford [1901] 2 KB 215 JH Coles Pty Ltd v Need [1934] AC 82 CASES CITED : Kall-Kwik Priniting (UK) Ltd v Rush [1996] 23 FSR 114 Norman v Federal Commissioner of Taxation (1963) 109 CLR 9 Palette Shoes Pty Ltd v Krohn (1937) 58 CLR 1 Geraghty v Minter (1979) 142 CLR 177 Reckitt & Colman Products Ltd v Borden Inc (1990) 17 IPR 1 Powell v Birmingham Vinegar Brewery Co Ltd (1897) 14 RPC 720