‘We’re not going to back down’: tiny Portland B&B stands up to Airbnb’s legal bid to ‘monopolise’ letters ‘bnb’
Summary
A small bed and breakfast (B&B) called bnb-side on the Isle of Portland is fighting a legal challenge from Airbnb over the use of the letters "bnb" in its name. Airbnb claims the B&B's name could confuse customers and harm its brand, while bnb-side argues the term "bnb" simply means bed and breakfast and is vital for their business linked to a local arts festival.Key Facts
- bnb-side is a six-room B&B on the Isle of Portland, established in 2024 to support a local arts festival called b-side.
- Airbnb, a large booking company based in San Francisco, sent legal letters demanding bnb-side stop using the name.
- Airbnb argues that the name bnb-side could confuse customers, damage Airbnb’s reputation, and wrongly suggest a connection with Airbnb.
- bnb-side has used its name since it opened and says "bnb" means bed and breakfast, a common term.
- Losing the name could force bnb-side to spend money and time changing signs, websites, and other materials, risking its income.
- bnb-side contributes nearly half of the festival’s £250,000 yearly income.
- The B&B is defending itself with free legal help from a law firm, and the case is ongoing without a decision yet.
- Locals are concerned about Airbnb’s influence on housing and business on the Isle of Portland, where one person owns eight Airbnb rental properties.
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