‘Furious’ Parents Slam Sparsely Decorated ‘Willy Wonka Experience’ Held in Warehouse
A supposed Willy Wonka Experience in Glasgow, Scotland has been forced to refund its customers, who branded the exhibit a “farce” for all the wrong reasons.
House of Illuminati, which organized “Willy’s Chocolate Experience,” was charging up to €35 (about $38) for an “immersive experience” based on the Timothée Chalamet musical Wonka, itself an adaptation of Roald Dahl’s Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. The organizers promised “a journey filled with wondrous creations and enchanting surprises at every turn.” While the families who shelled out to attend the show were surprised, they were hardly enchanted.
Those who turned up for the Willy Wonka Experience found a sparsely furnished Glaswegian warehouse hastily bedecked with picnic benches, crépe paper, and a handful of cheap-looking props. There was a sole Oompa Loompa in attendance, standing behind a display that looked more like a marijuana dispensary than a chocolate factory.
Here’s the Oompa Loompa. Did I mean to say “a”? Nah. Apparently, there was only one. https://t.co/D91bKe2ZHT pic.twitter.com/Xr4a70c5vn
— TheVP ? (@Vietpride218) February 27, 2024
So horrific, and likely frightening, was the set-up that the children in attendance reportedly burst into tears upon arrival. Their parents took the unprecedented step of calling the police to deal with the event organizers’ apparent lack of organization. A spokesperson for Scotland’s police force confirmed to The Daily Mail that officers did indeed turn up to the event, and that “advice was given” to those running the show.
Meet me at the Glasgow Willy Wonka Experience. pic.twitter.com/7ixKh7ZAy6
— Quinoa J. (@joanqui_ayamorg) February 27, 2024
What if we kissed at the Glasgow Willy Wonka experience? pic.twitter.com/fiDoTWkMGM
— Zach ?️ (@Bencouvy) February 27, 2024
Furious parents have said they have been “ripped off” and left with a ‘bad taste’ after paying hundreds of pounds for a Willy Wonka-inspired ‘immersive experience’ in Glasgow.https://t.co/aqZDy33AEy pic.twitter.com/RLoKMX3V9C
— STV News (@STVNews) February 26, 2024
The website for the event appears to be hastily generated by AI, and not at all spell-checked. One photograph has copious misspellings which don’t appear to be referencing anything from Dahl’s work or Wonka. The art promises customers “enchirining entertainment,” “catgacating” (whatever that is), followed separately by “cartchy tuns, exarserdray lollipops, [and] a pasadise of sweet teats.”
More easily understandable parts of the website promise customers an experience of 45 minutes to one hour which will ferry them through themed rooms. The tour was to begin in the Enchanted Garden, which promised “mysterious looking sculptures [sic] and magical surprises.” From there one would venture into the Imagination Lab, “a surreal journey where the boundaries between reality and fantasy harmoniously merge.” The tour would end in the Twilight Tunnel, “adorned with captivating projections, enigmatic sounds, and surprising turns.”
But none of that came to be. Pictures from the event show a beyond dismal display, with parents hopelessly wandering around with their disappointed children. The warehouse isn’t disguised at all from what it is, with a few measly props and small posters somehow making the florescent-lit space look even more bleak.
More pics from the event https://t.co/ZCqw7yvqR4 pic.twitter.com/5LsLL8xnQ2
— Culture Crave ? (@CultureCrave) February 27, 2024
Billy Coull, the director of the House of Illuminati, has allegedly been linked to various grifts in the past, according to a Reddit thread which sounded the alarm on the Willy Wonka Experience several weeks ago.
“He also attempted to scam people with a non-existent charity gala night at the Double Tree Hilton at £95 a head with…various Ru Paul’s Drag Race contestants doing cabaret,” one user alleged. “The event did not exist and [the] contestant’s agents were less than happy to find their client’s names and images used to advertise said fake event.”
Other Reddit threads reiterate similar opinions related to Coull, who also has a lucrative publishing career. His Amazon author page shows a number of works about conspiracy theories surrounding vaccines and human trafficking. On his private Instagram page, he describes himself as an “enigmatic wordsmith from Glasgow” who “crafts captivating mysteries and gripping conspiracies.”
Coull did not reply to a request for comment from Men’s Journal. However, he told STV that he was “truly and utterly sorry” for the debacle, blaming the failure on “technical issues.”
Coull explained: “I’m really shocked that the event had fallen short of the expectations of people on paper. My vision of the artistic rendition of a well-known book didn’t come to fruition. For that I am absolutely truly and utterly sorry. There was every intention to hold the event…hopefully you’ll be able to see that there was every intention to hold the event. Unfortunately, there was [sic] unforeseen circumstances and the event didn’t come to light.”
Coull did not explain why he decided to push forward with the event when it was clear the design wasn’t up to snuff. He did confirm that full refunds would be issued to all ticketed customers, but for some that wasn’t enough. Several patrons reportedly are asking Coull to refund their costs for traveling to the event, as well.
the kids showing up to the “immersive” willy wonka experience: https://t.co/f1TYoCNnkP pic.twitter.com/41T6dMnS8v
— emily (i lost a bet) (@christhealtgod) February 27, 2024
