A company have organised a pop-up owl cocktail bar in Soho, London, where for £20 customers can have two drinks and interact for two hours with live owls - six of them working shifts. Places will be allocated by a ballot, as it is expected to be very popular. It will be open for a week (8.30pm and 2am)
A start-up app company Locappy (its logo is an owl) is funding it and are working with The Barn Owl Centre in Gloucestershire to run it — all profits will also go to this owl charity.
Organisers have defended the project amid concern over the birds’ welfare. They say that the birds are accustomed to being around the public and expert handlers will be on hand.
However, owls have very sensitive hearing as they use sound to hunt, and a noisy bar with drink being taken does not seem a very comfortable environment for them.
A petition calling for Westminster Council to stop the owl bar from opening in Soho next month has attracted more than 2,000 signatures.
Can't imagine this is going to attract the 'right' sort of people. There will almost certainly be some idiot who's overindulged, or is just a Smart Alec (apologies to other Alecs), and does not follow the handler's instructions. Wrong on so many levels.