Lawyers representing the producers of The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey, are continuing with their efforts to shut down a Southampton bar named for the early JRR Tolkien novel. The Hobbit pub has until May to change its name or risk legal action.

Stella Roberts, landlady of The Hobbit, commented: "The pub has been called The Hobbit for more than 20 years and it has never been a problem . . . We just haven't got the resources to fight it. I can't fight Hollywood."

But hark. Do we hear a national treasure coming to the aid of the downtrodden barkeeps? It's Baron Stephen of Fry. "Sometimes I'm ashamed of the business

I'm in," the great man tweeted. "What pointless, self-defeating bullying."