A spat has broken out between two PR agencies over a benefit event
for charity War Child, of all things. Joplin and Spin Media are
squabbling over last weekend’s Feast for Peace initiative, which saw
about 100 restaurants across the country hosting nosh-ups in aid of the
charity.
Two Manchester restaurants, the Reform and Barca - both Spin Media
clients -agreed to take part in Feast for Peace, but pulled out a few
days before the weekend.
War Child had organised for French celebrity chef Jean-Christophe
Novelli to mingle among guests at the Reform while Barca, which is owned
by Simply Red frontman Mick Hucknall, was to dazzle Mancunian foodies
with TV celebs from Coronation Street,City Central and The Cops.
Andrea Nelson, co-founder of Joplin, which is promoting the initiative,
is furious. ’The Reform and Barca have had a lot of publicity on the
back of this. It doesn’t look good for War Child,’ she splutters.
Spin Media MD, Andy Spinoza, says the charity failed to give his clients
enough warning of the event, by which time neither restaurant could
accomodate it. Barca, for example, was given six days notice.
The charity buck obviously stops with PR these days.