Cumbrian bakery The Gingerbread Shop says it will have to wait until August to find out if its application to trademark the term ’Grasmere gingerbread’ has been successful, after objections from a local cafe owner.

Steve Bell, who makes gingerbread at his Grasmere restaurant Williams, has lodged several objections with the Intellectual Property Office about the application in a dispute dubbed the ’gingerbread war’ by the media.

He claims gingerbread was made in the village long before The Gingerbread Shop began making it 154 years ago.

Gingerbread Shop manager Andrew Hunter said the application was first made in February 2006 and was due to be approved in August 2007, before last minute objections delayed the decision until August. The company decided to apply for a trademark "to preserve the integrity of the product", he added.