A nightclub boss is counting the cost after spending a small fortune on branding his new venue only to find he was breaking the law.

Chris Chapman, boss of the Angmering-based Chapman Group, spent thousands of pounds on signs, uniforms, posters, flyers and tickets for the £1 million nightclub in Railway Approach, Worthing.

He chose the name Destiny to give the former Illusions II nightclub a fresh image in time for its grand opening after a major refit on March 9. But then he received a legal warning from Leicester-based First Leisure, which runs 45 clubs and 26 bars around the country.

First Leisure said it had copyrighted "Destiny", the name of four nightclubs in Ellesmere Port, Glasgow, Plymouth and Watford and, if Mr Chapman used it, he would be sued. He has now had to scrap everything bearing the name and spend £18,000 on a new identity, called Desire.

First Leisure spokeswoman Carolyn Jardine said: "Destiny is a registered nightclub name and no one can use it."

Richard Pipe, operations director for Chapman's, said he was shocked to receive the warning just weeks before the official opening. He said: "We have hadto throw everything in the bin and spend a small fortune rebranding, but it won't affect the opening date." Mr Pipe added: "The Chapman Group took over Illusions II in November and it really did need a major change."

The Group is spending a further £1 million revamping Chapman's Hotel nextdoor, to become the Grand Victoria.

Mr Pipe also quashed rumours another part of the Chapman portfolio, Cloisters, a bar in High Street, Worthing, had been sold for more than £400,000 to people interested in converting the former church into a Chinese restaurant. He said: "We intend to keep it and refurbish the property."

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