It is a very small industry in the UK....bad
PR will hurt him worse than anything else....sometimes a Legal fee for filing a civil action (if you lose) is worth the negative press the other guy gets in the newspaper.
Shame a sit down over a Pint and recalling old times and how it worked for both in the past would not have a chance to bring the guy around to a Win-Win deal. It is always better to be friendly competitors than adversaries. No doubt in the future there shall be a time he needs your help and the reverse. There can be two Cats on one porch if they will share a bit of wood between them.