Entrepreneur Bob Jane relieved after winning back right to trade with his own name

Bob Jane, the founder of retail tyre giant Bob Jane T-Marts, says he is relieved by a court ruling that has permitted him to trade under his own name but not to sell tyres, and says his lawyers will talk with Bob Jane Corporation over the trademark case.

Justice Tony North late last week set aside an order stopping Bob Jane from selling tyres, saying he had been badly advised in the initial case by a man called Malcolm McClure, whom Justice North described as a “menace” and a “law unto himself”.

Bob Jane Corporation, which is run and owned by Bob Jane’s son Rodney Jane, had argued that any business using Bob Jane’s name would be confused with its own and would be an infringement of its copyright.

Bob Jane told SmartCompany this morning that he was greatly relieved by last week’s order.

“It means that the trademark issues narrow down to tyres and wheels. I could open a coffee shop theoretically,” he says.

“It was my stupid fault to some extent by not representing myself properly.

“The judge has made recommendations, and one is that we discuss it, our lawyers discuss the situation and try and resolve it in a sensible way.”

Bob Jane has co-founded www.webtyre.net, which calls itself Australia’s leading online tyre retailer, with Dennis Rigon.

Its website says it is “not in any way associated with Bob Jane T-Marts”.

Bob Jane T-Marts calls itself Australia’s largest independent tyre retailer, with franchised and company-owned stores. It was founded more than 40 years ago by Bob Jane.