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| Blackpool Viagra Hotel name change sparks 'weirdo' fears | Blackpool Viagra Hotel name change sparks 'weirdo' fears |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| Hoteliers in Blackpool have said they fear a guesthouse which has been renamed The Viagra Hotel will attract "weirdos" to the seaside resort. | Hoteliers in Blackpool have said they fear a guesthouse which has been renamed The Viagra Hotel will attract "weirdos" to the seaside resort. |
| The Vidella Hotel's owners recently adopted the new moniker - along with the slogan "We will keep you up all night" - as part of a rebranding. | The Vidella Hotel's owners recently adopted the new moniker - along with the slogan "We will keep you up all night" - as part of a rebranding. |
| But the change has met with stiff opposition in some quarters. | But the change has met with stiff opposition in some quarters. |
| A spokeswoman for Pfizer, which sells the erectile dysfunction pills, said it would be "taking appropriate action". | |
| "Pfizer does not support nor condone the use of the Viagra trademark in this manner," she said. | |
| "In the UK advertising of prescription-only medicines to the public is strictly prohibited." | |
| 'Game for a laugh' | 'Game for a laugh' |
| Owner Neil Marshall said it was intended to reinforce the hotel's image as a budget destination. | |
| He said previous guests had expected an upmarket hotel when they arrived. | |
| "The Vidella had quite a bad name to it - and the type of clientele coming here thought they were going to come into a posh location," he said. | "The Vidella had quite a bad name to it - and the type of clientele coming here thought they were going to come into a posh location," he said. |
| No complaints had been received, and lots of guests had found the new name funny, he said. | No complaints had been received, and lots of guests had found the new name funny, he said. |
| "It'll probably put off the family element but I don't like lying to people, when they come in here they know what they are walking into - friendly all the time but we are a budget hotel. | "It'll probably put off the family element but I don't like lying to people, when they come in here they know what they are walking into - friendly all the time but we are a budget hotel. |
| "If you're not game for a laugh, don't come here." | "If you're not game for a laugh, don't come here." |
| Claire Smith, president of hotel organisation Stay Blackpool, said the name change was "opening yourself up to problems". | Claire Smith, president of hotel organisation Stay Blackpool, said the name change was "opening yourself up to problems". |
| "As a publicity stunt, good on him - but going forward...you may be potentially putting off good quality guests." | "As a publicity stunt, good on him - but going forward...you may be potentially putting off good quality guests." |
| "My only concern is you're going to get some real weirdos that are going to not take it in the context that it's meant - in that they're just going for a laugh - and the good hoteliers are going to be spending the whole time just trouble-shooting." | "My only concern is you're going to get some real weirdos that are going to not take it in the context that it's meant - in that they're just going for a laugh - and the good hoteliers are going to be spending the whole time just trouble-shooting." |