Brixton shop faces legal action by US firm over name

Pete Adams describes the business as a "community hub"

Two London cab drivers who run a fashion business in their spare time have said they are being threatened with legal action by a US company with a similar name.

Daniel O’Connell and Pete Adams, who run Brixton Street Wear, said they received a revoke legal letter from a Californian company called Brixton LLC which demands they stop using the name Brixton.

"It's really frustrating," said Mr Adams. "How can you own a geographical place?"

The BBC has contacted Brixton LLC for comment and its lawyers, Groot & Evers.

Daniel O'Connell says he is worried the legal action will force them to close the business

The brothers said the legal battle could cost tens of thousands of pounds which they cannot afford.

"We've paid for everything ourselves and the only way we can fight this is with community and social media," Mr O'Connell said.

They will have to wait and find out in October if they will be forced to change the name of their business.

"There are over 600 companies in Brixton that use the location in their brand name, are you telling me all of them can't use the name anymore?" asked Mr Adams.

'We do this to help'

Brixton Street Wear is not just an apparel brand and Mr Adams describes it as a "community hub".

The profit the business makes is reinvested into local charities and clubs in Brixton.

They have donated thousands of pounds to projects and causes in south London and opened a shop earlier this year in the independent market Brixton Village.

"Financially we get nothing from this," Mr O'Connell said. "We just do this to help out and give back something to the community."

Mr O'Connell said he was worried that this legal action could "seriously shut us down and stop us supporting the community".

"This is a total headache and we both have young families," he said.

"The letters we have received from the lawyers are so cold-hearted, why can't they just have a conversation with us?"

The Californian company, Brixton, describes itself as a "lifestyle brand with deep roots in music and a strong point of view on our place in culture".