Hotel squashes negative publicity after local highlights uncordial prices


Cordial relations have broken out between a Mullingar hotel and a Rosemount man who highlighted the exorbitant price of a pint of Miwadi orange squash online last week.


The controversy erupted on Tuesday of last week, after young footballer Enda Boland posted a receipt on his Twitter account confirming that he had been charged €2.40 for a pint of fruit squash in the Bloomfield Hotel over the previous weekend, which is often given free to non-drinking customers in hotels or hostelries the length and breadth of the country.


Within a short time, the story became a bit of an internet sensation, being highlighted on several prominent national websites, Facebook and Twitter. Dubbed Miwadigate, it generated plenty of unfavourable comments for the Westmeath hotel, who were accused of ripping off teetotallers, youngsters and designated drivers on a night out.


However, the Bloomfield Hotel responded in puntastic fashion to the negative publicity last Wednesday tweeting: “Orange you glad you brought this pint into the Lime light... MiWadi is on us guys!”.


Their Twitter feed confirmed that Miwadi will be complimentary to all customers for the month of March as along as they quote “Boland” at the till until the “Enda March”. Based on the online feedback Miwadi prices have been reduced, the hotel said, adding that it remains complimentary in their carvery.


Accompanied by a picture of dozens of bottles of Miwadi on a table, the message also confirmed that a gift bag of goodies is available in the hotel for Enda Boland for highlighting the matter in the first place.