If anyone's a Plonker, it's us

From the archive, first published Tuesday 10th Jan 2006.

WHEN is a Plonker not a Plonker? When it's a New Forest Plonker.

That's according to Gordon "Golly" Brownen, who started the Plonker's Agricultural Orchestra with melodeon player Bob Harvey back in 1980 and is dismayed by the presence of a similarly-named outfit, set up by a former member of his band.

The besmocked Plonker's Agricultural Orchestra proved a hit with raucous rural songs like The Blackbird, Drink Up Thee Zider and Twice Daily at shows, pubs, clubs and charity functions across the South.

But Golly was a bit miffed when Gerald Rickman, a former member of the band, began a rival outfit four years ago, playing "scrumpy and western" and which got a gig at the 2002 New Forest Show.

Now Golly, a blacksmith by trade, has taken out a patent on the Plonkers name.

The 58-year-old who lives at Gordleton between Sway and Lymington, says he named his agricultural orchestra after his donkey Plonker, which he used to take to shows.

Plonker died recently, aged 28, but Golly keeps the band going with a nucleus of six members, plus others signed up when needed.

He is now sending letters out to organisers who book the New Forest Plonkers pointing out he has the patent on the name.

"We're not asking them not to book the band. It's only our name we want back. I never gave him permission to use my name and he copies my act exactly, or tries to," said Golly.

But Gerald Rickman claims that after confusion over a series of gigs in 2001, he reformed the band in 2002 as the New Plonkers after Gordon said he was "was shutting the Plonkers Agricultural Orchestra down". He says he checked with Gordon before restarting the band, and even got a promoter to double check.

His band was registered with the International Band Registration Department and the name was changed to the New Forest Plonkers.

"We don't want to be confused with the Plonkers Agricultural Orchestra," he said.

"Gordon's never contacted us. He's never said to us since 2002, not in any shape or form, not to use the name Plonkers.

"As far as I'm concerned we're not infringing on his trade mark. If he wants to take further action he's going to have to take us to court. And he's got to prove we've infringed his trade mark."