OXFORD University has said it will not take legal action against everybody who uses the word ‘Oxford’, if its application for a new trade mark is approved.

Instead, the institute said it will only pursue a claim if it ‘believes its rights are infringed’ – despite being able to take legal action against all who use the ‘brand’.

Oxford University Press, a division of the university, lodged its application to trade mark the word ‘Oxford’ on 126 products this week because, it said, of 'concerns over Brexit'.

The trade mark, which will last for 10 years, is expected to be approved within months if there are no formal objections.

In a statement yesterday OUP said: "Our latest trade mark application in the UK is not a new development; it’s a continuation of our existing trade mark registrations across the world.

"We took this as a precautionary step in March 2018 to maintain the status quo in response to the ongoing uncertainty around Brexit, and its potential impact on the valuable trademarks we already own. As with our previous trade mark registrations, it only covered the publishing, education, and research activities of both the university and OUP.

"This does not stop people, residents, and organizations from using the word ‘Oxford’ for a wide range of other initiatives and activities, as we know many already do. We will only pursue legal action if we believe our rights are being infringed, or if organizations are trying to trade on OUP’s and the university’s reputations, and mislead the public into thinking their products and services emanate from us."

It added: "We take these steps to help us protect our brand, our reputation, and the work we do to achieve our mission."