April Fool’s doggy afternoon tea gag sparks massive interest
An April Fool’s afternoon tea session for dogs surprised hotel staff when they found there was genuine interest in hosting such an event.
Albert Cottage Hotel in the Isle of Wight, initially sent out adverts for the VIP (Very Important Pet) ‘Paws for Afternoon Tea’ event as a joke. However, due to unexpectedly high demand on its social media and website, the hotel is now planning to hold the event for real.
Rachael Randall, owner of the Albert Cottage Hotel, said: “The idea started off as nothing more than a quirky April Fools Day funny. We promoted it via Facebook and Twitter and also put together a press release which was sent to local media outlets.
“Within hours our social media pages were being flooded with booking requests and messages from people desperate to find out more information. We were taken aback by the interest from dog owners who just loved the idea.”
She added: “We sat down and hurriedly had a rethink and decided the demand was big enough for us to offer the afternoon tea. Our wonderful afternoon tea is hugely popular, and now people can come along and share the experience with their loyal companions.”
The VIP Paws for Afternoon Tea will be held every Thursday throughout summer and will have a selection of teas and doggy treats. It will run along the hotel’s weekly afternoon tea sessions, which take place between Wednesdays and Saturdays.
