August 24, 2011 17:31

Mutya Buena wins legal rights to Sugababes name

But only in relation to use with specific merchandise and stationery

Sugababes, with their original line-up
Photo: PA

Mutya Buena has taken a significant step in the legal battle of the rights to the name Sugababes, after she won the right to use the name to market certain products bearing the name of the girlband.

Buena quit the band in 2005 and her former bandmate Keisha Buchanan left in 2009, leaving the girlband without a single original member.

The singer then announced she would be pursuing legal action to win the rights to the name Sugababes and announced yesterday that she had succeeded. However, it appears Buena now only owns the Sugababes rights to paper, cardboard and goods; namely stationery, paper gift wrap and paper gift wrapping ribbons.

She wrote on her Facebook page of the news: "I won the official name of the Sugababes now!!! I deserve this! I'm over the moon!"

There had been speculation that current members Heidi Range, Amelle Berrabah and Jade Ewen will have to tour and record under a new name. However, the group's representatives contacted NME with the following statement:

"On April 21 2011, a decision was made by the Office For Harmonization In The Internal Market Trade (Trade Marks Department), wherein Sugababes successfully acquired the rights to the name 'Sugababes' in all categories pertaining to the band’s areas of activity in the music, sound recording and entertainment industry."