 Notice: The content on this page has been updated by a statement by Webwordwizards.com our website designers and IT Consultants on August 22nd 2008. Click here to view full statement...Highcross Leicester - Highcross Quarter - Domain Name Dispute Case Press Release - July 19th 2007Also see original statement issued on the 21st June 2007. Please find this by clicking here Who are we?We are a small East Midlands of England based group of mainly Wiccan's, Witches and Wizards who use as part of our faith, worship, and way of life the age old Calendar of "Highcross" and "Cross Quarter" sabbats passed down to us in part from pagan times. Our Website ProjectSome years ago, we decided to have a website set up for us that would detail, discuss and define the Highcross Quarter sabbats in particular of but also the Cross Quarter sabbats from a perspective of time both historical and contemporary as well as ritual and wiccan narrative. We wanted to use our web site to inform and enlighten fellow believers and others as well as break through the ignorance and misunderstanding, prejudice and stigma often attached to Wicca, witchcraft and earth oriented belief systems by followers of "mainstream" faiths. In the winter of 2005 - 2006 and spring of 2006 we put that vision into being by appointing our web site designers and internet consultants to act for us in these matters. In the spring and early summer of 2006 we decided upon the domain names and
accordingly we instructed our web designers webwordwizards.com to acquire them and commence work.
The domain names we acquired though Mel Gordon of Webwordwizards for our project are: All of which we own for the purpose of presenting online information to do with the high cross quarter and cross quarter sabbats, Wicca and Witchcraft. Hammerson Plc made unwelcome offers for our domain names.In August 2006 the owners and developers of Leicester's Highcross Leicester, Hammerson Plc commenced approaches to Webwordwizards.com making enquiries for our domain names explaining that they wanted them as they had chosen that name for their new Retail, Residential and Entertainment Quarter here in Leicester the "Highcross Quarter" and had spent considerable time and investment acquiring the trade mark. September 2006 then saw unwelcome and unsolicited offers being tabled from Hammerson Plc and others for these domains many thousands of times over their cost value. All of which we dismissed and immediately declined without the slightest consideration. Especially as from Hammerson Plc there were conditions attached that would have prevented us from mentioning Highcross quarter in relation to wiccan and witchcraft sabbats and similar activities online or anywhere else. It appeared to us that there was naturally some considerable embarrassment at Hammerson Plc and Shires GP Ltd that the Wicca association had not been uncovered during due diligence process in Trade Mark stage let alone through the market testing and evaluation. Advice to Hammerson ignored.In September 2006 Mel Gordon of Webwordwizards.com our IT Consultants gave Mark Prescod the Marketing Director at Hammerson Plc, repeated clear written and verbal advice that they not use “Highcross Quarter” as the name of their shopping \ Entertainment \ Residential venue development here in the city of Leicester in England. Our consultant Mel Gordon pointed out to Hammerson Plc as early as August 2006, this name had a significant and well established association with Wicca, Witchcraft and Neo-paganism. However from all the marketing, sign writing work around the new centre as well as press releases and articles from September 2006 to July 18th 2007 we saw that this advice was ignored and waved aside. Hammerson Plc wanted our domain names for the Highcross Leicester... a David and Goliath battle ensues.A month ago we received news from our IT consultants and Website Designers that Hammerson Plc were initiating an Domain dispute action with Nominet who administers the www.highcrossquarter.co.uk domain name and WIPO – World intellectual Property Organisation (part of the United Nations) who provide domain name dispute services for ICANN who administer our www.highcrossquarter.com domain. They want to have our domain names forcefully transferred over to them on the grounds that our registration trespassed on their trade mark and that our registration of these domain was abusive. This was detailed in full along with Hammerson Plc attempt to buy our domains at a previous press release issued by us on our website 21st June 2007. (see http://highcrossquarter.com/resources_press_releases.html ) This process is still as of 19th July 2007 ongoing and we are about to provide our written submission. Hammerson Plc now has change of mind.Today, 19th July 2007 we received indications that Hammerson Plc had finally accepted the advice of Webwordwizards.com to use another name altogether. (Something Mark Prescod of Hammerson had told Mel Gordon in September 2006 “was not an option”.) The communication we have received is to the effect that Hammerson Plc have now changed their mind about calling the development “Highcross Quarter” and are calling it “Highcross Leicester”. Time to draw a line.It is our hope that Hammerson Plc will now be sending us written confirmation of their intention to withdraw from the domain name dispute action that they have embarked upon against us and will magnanimously concede our unchallengeable right to use the domain names for the purpose stated. It is our expectation that as a “big” company... Hammerson Plc will now be big in the way it concedes to us a small local alternative faith group, and that we can draw a line under this whole matter. It has been for us very inconveniencing, distracting and costly situation taking up time and money we could not afford. We look forward to receiving from Hammerson that written confirmation of cessation of action, as well as the same from WIPO and Nominet that Hammerson Plc has graciously withdrawn. In which case, we would like to take this opportunity to wish Hammerson Plc and Shires (GP) Ltd the very best for their new Highcross Leicester retail development. It was our only wish all along, to be left in peace to develop our website and maintain the aspirations for faith and of our simple way of life. It is our hope that we can now soon do precisely that. We will continue to prepare our submissions to Nominet and WIPO to defend our domain names until we obtain those written assurances.
Mel Gordon |
What happens if we lose this case?Dear Members BB. Being a very small group, we do not have the limitless legal resources at our disposal that Hammerson Plc have brought to bear in their bid to seize control of our domain names. The domain dispute resolution process like any process although always acting in good faith is never the less a process of man upon this earth and is thus not infallible. Big Companies can and frequently do attempt to seduce and subvert the resolution process using all legal means available. We will however resist this bullying in every way we can. As we speak we are preparing statements for press and media as well as framing ideas for leafleting Leicester City Centre where we are based. On Saturday 30th June our leicester based coven and chapter is meeting with other members from across the East Midlands to develop plans for our campaign strategy. Ultimately however, it is slightly possible we may lose our case at Nominet and WIPO. This is a possibility we feel it wise to prepare for and thus in order to maintain continuation of our website we have instructed our website designers to prepare our highcrossquarters.com and highcrossquarters.co.uk domains so we are ready to roll and hit the ground running in the event of an adverse decision. In that event we will naturally mount an appeal. However, please be assured that we are supremely confident of success as we make a hard and very public example of those engaged in this adventure against us in a way that will serve to make other large organisations think long and hard before under estimating the resolve and fortitude of small groups again over the domain names they rightfully own. We know many of you wish us well and all the best in our fight see off this astounding adventurism on the part of Hammerson Plc. We would like to thank many of you from around the world who have sent us messages of support. In Love and Light, Death and Darkness. Highcross Quarter Website Slideshow Move
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