A celebrity Mayfair restaurant will have to change its name after being found to breach trademarks owned by a company behind a luxury hotel in Venice.

Cipriani London, whose customers have included Sir Elton John, Naomi Campbell and David and Victoria Beckham, lost a battle in the Court of Appeal. Lord Justice Lloyd said Hotel Cipriani was established by the grandfather of the owner of the London restaurant, both of whom are called Guiseppe Cipriani. But the hotel holds community and UK trademarks for the word Cipriani and the phrase Hotel Cipriani.

Its Venice business was internationally known, said Lord Justice Lloyd, adding that Guiseppe jnr opened his restaurant in 2004 and the company behind the Venice hotel began legal action in 2006 for injunctions to stop the London restaurant using the name.

Guiseppe jnr tried to defend himself against the allegation of "passing off" and trademark infringement on the basis that he was using his own name.

But his claim was rejected by the High Court in 2008 and his appeal was dismissed.

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