Highcross Quarter

The IPKat's friend Lauren Ezekiel, IP staff writer for IP World, has sent him a delightful little story, though he's none too sure where she got it from. The gist of it is that property developers Hammerson were forced to change the name of a new £350 million shopping centre in Leicester, England, after a group of witches and wizards maintained that it had special significance for them. The centre was originally going to be called “Highcross Quarter”, but the witches and wizards said this was the pagan and Wicca name for an important date in their calendar.

Members of the local coven instantly registered the relevant domain names and uploaded them with information on the group’s beliefs. Hammerson apparently contacted the group via the World Intellectual Property Organization and offered a large sum of money for the domain, which was rejected. After a year-long battle the name has been changed to the less controversial “Highcross Leicester”.


Left: The IPKat has not yet abandoned his attempts to learn Quidditch ...

Highcross Quarter websites here and here
Three Witches here
Strange Brew here