Plumbers battle over celebrity clients

Plumbers in the national capital are preparing for a fight, as London’s biggest private firm accuses a rival of trying to steal famous clients including Keira Knightly and Hugh Grant.

A £1 million legal claim against Service Corps launched by Pimlico Plumbers alleges industrial espionage and the tapping up of its staff.

The stage is set for a High Court battle between the self-made millionaire Charlie Mullins, founder of Pimlico Plumbers and the former Australian TV news presenter Steve Cosser who set up Service Corps as competition to target the sinks and U-bends of the rich and famous.

Service Corps may be asked to provide evidence that it did not steal confidential files in order to lure Pimlico’s clients, which have included a celebrity A list such as Daniel Craig, Dame Helen Mirren, Liam Gallagher, Jonathan Ross, Joana Lumley, Tamara Beckwith, Eric Clapton and players from the Chelsea Football Club.

Mr Mullins, who appeared on Channel 4’s The Secret Millionaire, had left school at the age of 15 to begin a plumbing apprenticeship.

He launched his business in 1979 and now has an annual turnover of £15 million with profits of £2 million.

However, he says that Service Corps has encroached on his terriroty since Mr Cosser launched the company in 2007, in offices in the proximity of Pimlico Plumbers.

Service Corps has also taken on about 14 of Mr Mullins former staff.

In a writ filed by law firm Mischon de Reya, acting for Mr Mullins, Service Corps is accused of approaching Pimlico staff to persuade them to breach their contracts and defect to the rival.

Computers from Service Corps have been seized under a court order and being investigated for evidence of claims that staff leaving the company took instruction manuals ad Pimlico’s client database which has over 50,000 names.