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More on KentOnline
A unique venture created "on a whim" by a mum with the January blues has become a TikTok sensation amassing millions of views.
Fed up with lockdown and winter, Maree Manyweathers, from Garlinge, bought a garden dome thinking she could possibly hire it out, decorated, for themed nights.
But what she and her three daughters, Ellie, 24, Lily, 19, and Dolce, 16, didn't expect was for the video clips of them putting it up to go viral.
One has been viewed an astonishing 4.3 million times, and another 1.3m.
"It's gone crazy and we really don't know why," said Ms Manyweathers, who runs an online boutique.
"We put it up in the garden, did a few different things and shared some videos on TikTok and it went from there."
The 48-year-old says she always struggles in January with feeling flat and this year was even worse due to the pandemic.
"I was thinking what could we do to get us through lockdown and to keep us occupied," she said.
"I was looking online and came across this dome.
"I bought it on a whim thinking my middle daughter Lily could run it and that if it didn't work I'd just have it in my own garden."
Calling it The Lavish Dome Company, Ms Manyweathers and her daughters set the structure up in people's gardens and decorate it to suit the theme, such as a movie night under the stars, afternoon teas, birthdays and romantic meals.
They've also just invested in a 20ft inflatable screen for when two households can mix outdoors from March 29, opening up the possibility of a night at the opera - in your very own garden.
"We set everything up ourselves; it's all Covid safe, they have to have a side entrance for example," she said.
"We provide everything, so the projector, the tables, chairs, cushions, lanterns, snack trays - we make it really glam and people love it.
"We don't provide the food ourselves but we've collaborated with Felicity's Café at Quex so we can offer an afternoon tea."
Ms Manyweathers admits that when the dome first arrived they were concerned about how long it would take to erect.
But they have got it down to a fine art and can put it up in just 40 minutes.
"It took a couple of hours when we first tried it, but we're much quicker now," she said.
Having filmed videos of the dome being erected, she decided to post them on TikTok.
"We were doing tiny clips and then one day I put a TikTok together of the girls putting the dome up.
"I didn't do anything with it, left it for a few days, my daughters didn't say much about it, so I thought I wouldn't post it.
"But then I decided to just do it anyway and that one got 1.3m views.
"When I did the next one it was 4.3m."
Since the business went viral, Ms Manyweathers has been contacted by LadBible and even a reporter who came to film for a Chinese publication.
Bookings are also coming in thick and fast, with an average of four a week.
"We're about to be booked up for 10 in a row," she said.
"It's a lovely thing to do, and even though I set it up for Lily, it's given me something to do and my other daughters have got involved," she said.
"We never imagined that this would happen, we just can't believe how much it's taken off."
To see the videos click here and for information visit www.instagram.com/thelavishdomecompany
