We Need You!

‘Who does the PR for Arlington?’ Up went the cry yesterday in the newsroom when we spotted that the fabled maître ‘d Jesus Adorno had resigned from his post at the restaurant (which had previously, of course, been his long-time home Le Caprice) after less than a month. 

No one, is the answer. And it got me thinking, it’s all well and good for a person or place not to have a PR in the good times, when tables are like gold dust and the nation’s reviewers are in fervent-praise mode. But when things aren’t so rosy, when it would be helpful to have a buffer between the operator and the journalists; that might be when the former has pause for thought.

But it’s not even just that. The speed with which I’m asked to put writers in touch with possible interviewees for a story, to find out whether there’s a third angle to a possible trends feature and who’s available Right. This. Minute. means I need an efficient pair of eyes and ears online at a moment’s notice, i.e.: a good PR.

I’d be interested to know whether any of you pitched for that business, or for others that go it alone (such as The Devonshire), and if so, what the rationale for not having a PR could be… I’ll definitely fly the flag for your industry when I do finally get through to an elusive operator (or even one I can easily call direct). 

Meanwhile, believe me when I say it’s frustrating when I have a newsworthy press release from a PR and think ‘that’s a story’, only to get OOO when I get in touch, sometimes mere minutes later. Please be there when we need you, or have a colleague ready to jump in. Thanks!