Hotel sees ebay wedding boom

A hotel in North Devon has been selling weddings on auction website ebay for £1k to help boost its mid-week bookings. 

Nick and Tara Culverhouse, owners of the Fox & Hounds​ Country House Hotel in Eggesford, decided to list the all inclusive wedding packages on the site last year to attract trade at quieter times and have dubbed the idea a success. 

Tara said: “The only problem we have encountered is people finding it on the ebay website – we have to list it under the Wedding Accessories category, because they do not have a category specifically for weddings. We have asked ebay to create one, but so far they have been reluctant – I would have thought, especially in the tougher economic climate, that this could be a good growth area for them.”

So far the couple have sold six weddings on ebay. The £1k package allows couples and 18 guests to celebrate their wedding day at the Fox & Hounds from Sunday to Thursday. 

The package includes hire of the chapel, a three course dinner for 20 people, seven bottles of house wine, a glass of bucks fizz for each guest after the ceremony, a glass of sparkling wine for the toasts and the bride and groom are also given an overnight stay in the hotel`s bridal suite. The only condition is that wedding guests must book and pay for a minimum of nine of the rooms at the hotel for at least one night. 

The latest package​ went on sale on ebay on Monday and will be listed until July 4. 

Tara added:  "It is a great value at only £1,000 and gives them the chance to get married at one of the best wedding venues in the Devon.”