Remember that #FreeCuthbert fight that Aldi had with M&S last year?
Well the whole fight ended up in court.
Finally, M&S and Aldi have reached a settlement in a copyright dispute over the design of their caterpillar cakes.
Who can forget the whole Colin the Caterpillar fiasco that went down last year?
In case you do need your memory jogging, all the way back in April 2021, leading retailer Marks & Spencer decided to launch legal action against Aldi over the iconic Colin the Caterpillar cake, claiming that the budget supermarket’s own larvae dessert - Cuthbert the Caterpillar - was just too similar and infringes its trademark.
It was a case that blew up on social media, with plenty of other well-known supermarkets and retailers showing their support after Aldi launched its own #FreeCuthbert campaign.
After the rollercoaster case began to die down a bit, Aldi made the bold move to start selling its caterpillar cake once again in May after making some slight changes to its design, and now, both supermarket giants have confirmed earlier this week that a deal has been struck.
Deputy Master Timothy John Bowles has today signed off an agreement in a consent order filed at the High Court.
The order - which was first reported by The Telegraph - allowed the claim to be withdrawn and said the retailers had reached a "confidential agreement" in November.
In true comical Aldi style, the supermarket confirmed the settlement and teased Cuthbert the Caterpillar's imminent return on Twitter saying: "Getting out early on good behaviour, keep an eye out for Cuthy B this Spring."
Speaking more formally on the order this week, an M&S spokesman said: "The objective of the claim was to protect the intellectual property in our Colin the Caterpillar cake and we are very pleased with the outcome.", while an Aldi spokesperson added: "Cuthbert is free and looking forward to seeing all his fans again very soon."
M&S and Aldi have finally reached a settlement in a copyright dispute over the design of their caterpillar cakes / Credit: Aldi UK
Matters here may have drawn nicely to a close, but the tensions between the two retailers still remain high.
This is because, back in December 2021, it was revealed that M&S is once again launching legal action against Aldi and has accused the retailer copying the design of one of it’s most popular festive products - a Christmas gin liqueur with gold flakes.
The M&S spokesperson added on the case: "Like many other UK businesses, large and small, we know the true value and cost of innovation and the enormous time, passion, creativity, energy and attention to detail, that goes into designing, developing and bringing a product to market and building its brand over many years.
"So it is understandable that we want to defend our intellectual property and protect our suppliers - many of them small businesses that have worked with us for decades."
A new index has revealed the best cities for pet owners in the UK, and it’s great news for Leeds.
Millions of us share our home with a pet, and making sure we give them the best possible life is often at the forefront of our minds, right?
While there’s a lot people can control about their pet’s lifestyle, many of the factors that affect their happiness are determined by location, and sadly for the 83% of the UK population who live in more urban areas, the challenges to give a pet a good life can feel even greater – with less access to green space, and fewer social spaces to take dogs, for example.
But when it comes to cities, which are the best ones to own a pet in? Well, pet insurance firm Lassie has decided to get to the bottom of this and do some updated research.
Lassie analysed data across nine metrics that determine a pet’s wellbeing to create a ‘Pet-Friendliness Index’, and using this index, the UK’s five most populous cities were each assigned a score out of 100 and ranked to determine which is the most and least pet-friendly.
The index looks at four main categories to gauge how suitable each city is for pets – green space, environment, health, and infrastructure.
Then, within these, experts compared a range of measures, including air quality, temperature, costs, access to vets, road safety, pet-friendly rental housing, social opportunities, and many others.
And Leeds has taken the fourth spot.
The UK’s Most Pet-Friendly Cities
Manchester
Birmingham
Liverpool
Leeds
London
“We tend to think that being a good pet owner comes down to what we do at home, but your postcode could be playing a much bigger role in your pet’s happiness and health than you realise,” commented Hedda Båverud Olsson, who is the CEO and co-founder of Lassie.
“Our findings show that not all cities are created equal when it comes to pets. The difference between living in Manchester and London isn’t just about green space or somewhere to walk your dog, it can mean higher vet bills, poorer air quality and fewer veterinary practices nearby.”
Leeds Railway Station entrance FINALLY reopens after four-year delay
Clementine Hall
It's the moment we have all been waiting for...the entrance to Leeds station has finally reopened.
The £46.1m Leeds Station Sustainable Travel Gateway has been in the works since 2022, with the original target for completion set for autumn 2025.
A number of set backs meant that the opening was delayed time and time again, with the most recent hurdle being that one of the lifts was broken.
But now, all the hard work and patience (or lack thereof) has paid off because the entrance has finally reopened.
Images: The Hoot
Other than the swanky new stairs and lift that will take you straight to Bishopgate Street from the front of the station, there's also a new taxi rank that will also come into operation today.
The new taxi rank will allow hackney carriages to pick up there as well as the current location on Princes Square at the rear of the station.
The Leader of Leeds City Council, Councillor James Lewis, said: "Leeds as a city is booming, and one of the truest indicators of our ongoing growth and appeal is the ever-rising number of people using our railway station. Currently, Leeds Station handles more than 27 million passengers a year, with footfall inside the station rising six percent year on year and is now busier than before COVID.
“It is fundamental that we have a station that is not only easily able to meet current demand but is also fit for the future, providing a welcoming gateway for the many millions of passengers travelling into our city.
Images: The Hoot
“At the same time, it is vital that our station gateway is a safer and more accessible environment for everyone who uses it. We have worked in close partnership with groups from across our city to ensure that these new facilities provide a much-improved experience which is more pedestrian-friendly and allows people to board taxis much more safely.”
The Hoot -
4th February 2022 
