The creator of the “Willy Wonka Experience” in Glasgow, Scotland, Billy Coull, recently apologized for misleading advertising surrounding the event. Although it was marketed as a whimsical journey into a land of candies and treats, attendees — many of them parents with young children — were met with little more than a nearly empty warehouse featuring an AI-printed backdrop and a small bouncy castle.
Families purchased tickets for £45 each, lured in by the promise of an immersive event full of captivating live performances, charming characters, and a candy-filled atmosphere. The actual event was underwhelming and many attendees demanded refunds as a result.
Coull, the director of the House of Illuminati, which organized the event, took full responsibility for the event’s shortcomings. His apology, which was posted on the organization’s Facebook page, expressed his understanding of the attendees’ disappointment and frustration. He asked for time to process the situation and stated his intention to learn from the experience. Coull also mentioned that the amount of attention the event ended up receiving was more than he had expected.
Social media users responded with humor and criticism to the event’s disappointment. Parents who had attended the experience described it as “underwhelming” and “embarrassing”.