An independent coffee shop is changing its name following a trademark clash.

Sisters Hannah Huntly and Beth Cook launched Baker & Barista in St Peter’s Street, Ipswich, two years ago.

Unknown to them at the time, contract catering company Elior UK, based at Staines-upon-Thames in Surrey, had submitted an application a few weeks earlier to register “Barista & Baker” as a trademark.

In April this year, the sisters received a letter from a firm of patent and trademark attorneys acting for Elior asking them to cease using the Baker & Barista name on the grounds that it was too similar to the company’s protected trademark.

After taking professional advice they have now agreed to change the name of their business to Applaud Coffee, which they have registered as a trademark of their own to prevent any similar problem in future.

Baker & Barista will close next Tuesday, September 8, and re-open under its new identity on Thursday, September 10.

Hannah, who is an illustrator in her spare time, said: “The change has required us to redesign and print our promotional material, and we will have new signage. We will be closed for one day while works take place.”

Beth added: “Although our name will change, nothing else will. Everything else will be the same; the same staff, products and service. Customers with Baker & Barista vouchers will be able to use them at Applaud Coffee.

“The coffee house has been a great success and we have had to increase the number of staff we employ to cope with demand. We take pride in serving quality coffee and are excited by the new name for our coffee house.”

A spokesperson from Elior UK said: “Barista & Baker is one of our high street brands which we have to protect, so we asked the team at Baker & Barista to stop using our registered name.

“We appreciate they are a small company, so we gave them up to eight months to make the change. We wish the team a continued success with the cafe under its new brand, Applaud Coffee.”