The Washington Post has abandoned an offer to sell lobbyists and business interests access to Obama administration officials and policymakers for $25,000 a time, including dinner, after uproar in the paper's newsroom over a promise that its journalists would also be part of the package.

The offer came to light in a flier aimed at players in healthcare at a time when the White House is planning major reform of the industry.

It promised "a collegial evening, with Obama administration officials, Congress members, business leaders, advocacy leaders and other select minds" at dinners hosted by the Washington Post publisher, Katharine Weymouth, at her home.

The flier, given to a healthcare lobbyist, also offered access to "healthcare reporting and editorial staff" at the off the record dinners.

"An evening with the right people can alter the debate," the flier said. "Bring your organisation's CEO or executive director literally to the table. Interact with key Obama administration and congressional leaders …"

"Spirited? Yes. Confrontational? No. The relaxed setting in the home of Katharine Weymouth assures it".

Similar dinners were planned in the future to discuss other major White House policy initiativies. Each was to cost $25,000 per organisation or "sponsor" with one thrown in free for bulk purchases at 11 dinners for $250,000.

But after the flier was exposed on the Politico website, Weymouth cancelled the plans.

"Absolutely, I'm disappointed," she told her own newspaper. "This should never have happened. The fliers got out and weren't vetted. They didn't represent at all what we were attempting to do. We're not going to do any dinners that would impugn the integrity of the newsroom."

Earlier in the day, the executive editor, Marcus Brauchli, sent an email to staff after a backlash in the newsroom.

"We will not participate in events where promises are made that in exchange for money The Post will offer access to newsroom personnel or will refrain from confrontational questioning," he wrote. "It suggests that access to Washington Post journalists was available for purchase."

But one former Post staffer said the scheme has been under consideration since last year because of the paper's difficult financial situation, losing £12m in the first quarter of this year, and that reporters had been consulted about organising the meetings.

The newspaper said that the fliers "appear to be the product of overzealous marketing executives".

A Washington Post spokesperson, Kris Coratti, said the newsroom was not consulted.

"The flier came out of a business division for conferences and events, and the newsroom was unaware of such communication. It went out before it was properly vetted, and this draft does not represent what the company's vision for these dinners are, which is meant to be an independent, policy-oriented event for newsmakers. As written, the newsroom could not participate in an event like this," she said.