Premier Inn Wins Legal Dispute Over Use Of Rest Easy Against EasyJet Founder Sir Stelios Haji Ioannou

Premier Inn has emerged victorious in a trademark dispute brought by Sir Stelios Haji-Ioannou’s easyGroup, following a High Court ruling that dismissed claims over the use of the phrase “rest easy”. The legal battle, centred on Premier Inn’s adoption of the slogan on its hotel signage, raised questions over brand protection and trademark law within the UK’s competitive budget accommodation sector.

EasyGroup, led by the founder of easyJet, argued that Premier Inn’s branding may confuse customers and diminish the value associated with the “easy” brand—a staple for Sir Stelios’s various ventures including easyHotel, easyCar, and easyBus. The legal claim targeted Premier Inn’s use of “rest easy”, as well as potential overlap with multiple trademarks owned by easyGroup.

Lawyers for Premier Inn maintained that “easy” is an ordinary English word and insisted the brand’s strength arises from its wider identity, including colour and design choices. No evidence was presented to suggest consumers actually confused Premier Inn’s branding with that of easyGroup’s portfolio.

Justice Lance Ashworth, presiding over the case, ruled in favour of Premier Inn. He found no basis to support the claim that use of “rest easy” could mislead customers or constitute infringement. The judge also commented on easyGroup’s tendency for litigation over its trademarks, highlighting that safeguarding exclusivity of a common word can be at odds with consumer interests.

This ruling marks another setback for Sir Stelios, who in recent years has pursued multiple high-profile trademark cases, including against the Staffordshire-based Easyfundraising platform—another legal challenge that ended unfavourably for easyGroup. In contrast, some litigation has forced other entities, such as the pop act Easy Life, to change names due to established trademark protection connecting to the easyGroup brand family.

Sir Stelios condemned the High Court’s decision, expressing his intent to appeal. Whitbread, the parent company behind Premier Inn, welcomed the outcome and reaffirmed “rest easy” as a phrase reflecting its promise of consistent and reliable service for guests across its extensive UK network.