It's okay to stare at this bar. For one week in March, Annie the Owl is visiting Soho in London — and she's bringing a few friends.
Modelled after the owl cafes in Tokyo, the British owl bar lets locals get up close and personal with the beautiful birds. In total, six owls will be in the venue all accompanied by professional falconers who provide comfort and safety to both visitors and owls. "I’m half Japanese and have visited an owl café in Tokyo and really enjoyed it. I thought that it would be really cool to bring one to London,"event organizer Seb Lyall revealed to the Londonist.
According to Annie The Owl's website, more than 49,000 ballots have been submitted to purchase tickets. Due to the high demand, there will be a draw for ticket sales. Entry costs £20 per person for a two-hour visit. According to The Telegraph, winners will be revealed on March 16.
Animal cafes in general are growing in popularity. In 2014, Montreal opened the first cat cafe in Canada, with more chains expected to open in Toronto, Ottawa and Vancouver in 2015.
Watch the video to learn more about each of the owls who will be at the bar, including the bird who can rotate his head 270 degrees.
Update: An earlier version of this article stated that profits from the event were going to The Barn Owl Centre of Gloucestershire and two cocktails would be included in ticket sales. This is no longer the case. In a new press release Annie The Owl announced alcohol will no longer be served at the event for the animal's welfare. Event organizer Seb Lyall has also confirmed to us that "there are numerous other sanctuaries who are willing to take the donation."
Additional updates: Organizers of Annie the Owl have issued a press release announcing changes to the schedule of the event after speaking with local experts and authorities. The event will now run from April 9-14 in London. Tickets will be released on April 5 with guaranteed tickets available for purchase before the general release.
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