A small six-room bed and breakfast on the Isle of Portland, called bnb-side, is fighting a legal challenge from Airbnb over its use of the letters "bnb" in its name. bnb-side was set up in 2024 to raise funds for the long-running local arts festival b-side, but Airbnb argues the name threatens its global brand and has sent three legal letters demanding the guesthouse abandon it, refusing compromises such as a different case, an ampersand or the word "and". The dispute matters because losing would force the small social enterprise to rebrand entirely at significant cost, potentially destabilising a key income stream for the festival.

Airbnb has opposed the trademark application on three grounds: risk of consumer confusion, potential benefit to or damage of its reputation, and possible misrepresentation as an official Airbnb service. bnb-side, which generates nearly half of b-side's £250,000 annual turnover, is asking the Intellectual Property Office to reject the opposition and award costs in its favour, with the case still ongoing. Local figures voiced frustration given Airbnb's broader impact on Portland's housing market, while trademark attorney Craig Beaumont said Airbnb faces "an uphill battle" since "bnb" is widely understood as a descriptive term available for public use.