The University of Cambridge has launched a legal objection against local business Cambridge Rowing Limited for their use of the word ‘Cambridge’.

Cambridge Rowing, run by Omar Terywall, offers beginner rowing classes on the River Cam. The business opened in 2021, and aims to “inspire and empower individuals of all ages and abilities to discover the joy of rowing while promoting physical fitness, mental well-being and a strong sense of community,” according to its website.

In January 2022, Cambridge Rowing applied to register its trademark – a shield with a rower and the words “Cambridge Rowing” on it.

The application has been challenged by the University of Cambridge, which does not claim to own the word ‘Cambridge’, but does hold the trademark for its use across various classifications. This includes sports camps, instruction in sports, sports coaching, and training activities.

A decision about the challenge is expected in the first months of this year, according to BBC News.

Terywall told the BBC that he gave the company its name because: “It is a Cambridge rowing experience – that’s essentially it. It’s where we are and it’s what I do.”

He added: “To take ownership of the word ‘Cambridge’ and the word ‘rowing’ – it’s bonkers. Nobody really owns the right to the word ‘Cambridge’ and nobody can say that they own the word ‘rowing’ either as well – it belongs to all of us.”

This is not the first trademark row that has involved the University in recent years. In 2021, it prevented a brewery from registering “Cambridge Blue” as one of their beer names. However, in 2022, ‘Cambridge Quantum Computing’ was largely successful against the University in registering its trademark, as was ‘Cambridge NeuroTech’ in 2024.

Although the University does not always fully succeed with its trademark complaints, such disputes are often expensive. Cambridge Quantum Computing claimed to spend more than £50,000 preparing their case, while Cambridge NeuroTech claimed to spend £30,000 on legal fees.

Terywall told the BBC that he is concerned about the resources that the University will have at their disposal for fighting their case: “When you’ve got a very big organisation like them coming after you, it is pretty scary.”

However, Ilanah Fhima, professor of intellectual property law at UCL, told Varsity that: “Where a trademark owner feels that a mark has been applied for that is in conflict with their mark, e.g. it is confusingly similar, it is not an act of bullying to use their legal rights and the systems that the Trade Mark Registry has put in place to oppose the registration of that mark.”

She added: “In fact, objecting to the trade mark at registration stage is preferable to bringing an infringement action after the mark is registered which will be far more costly for all the parties and where the use of a confusing mark is more likely to be entrenched.”

Despite the trademark dispute, Terywall emphasised to Varsity that he still has a very good relationship with the University, saying: “I genuinely love, admire, and respect the contributions made by the University.”

Terywall is best known around Cambridge as the community activist who founded the Facebook group ‘Official Stolen Bikes in Cambridge’ which has close to 10,000 members. The group, run by Terywall, helps locals and students find their stolen bikes.

A University spokesperson told Varsity: “When it takes action, the University is not necessarily attempting to make a company change a name, sometimes it is simply taking action to prevent another company from ‘owning’ and having exclusive use of the name.

“If multiple companies in these fields are allowed to trademark “Cambridge”, then no one owns it – and the University loses the ability to prevent misuse. That matters. Without protection, the University could not, for example, safely secure naming rights linked to major philanthropic gifts, nor stop bad actors from exploiting the name for profit.

“We will always try to work constructively with others who want to use our trademark for legitimate reasons.”