Billy Coull, organizer of the now infamous Willy Wonka-themed family event in Glasgow last weekend, on Friday tried to calm furious parents demanding refunds for the expensive but decidedly lackluster “immersive” exhibition. In a statement shared on Facebook, apologized to customers and reiterated its promise to refund everyone.
“Willy's Chocolate Experience”, the trademarked name given to Coull's ill-fated venture, was meant to offer young fans of Roald Dahl's novel Charlie and the Chocolate Factory and its various film adaptations provide a chance to experience the story's candy-coated wonderland for themselves. Coull's promotional material included colorful art and rich descriptions of what sounded like an impressive theme park – but both were created by artificial intelligence, as was a muddled script given at the last minute to actors hired to play his characters. world. Attendees, who paid up to £35 (about $44) per ticket, waited in a long line to enter a sparsely decorated warehouse space where children received jelly, though not chocolate.
It could close the pop-up on Saturday afternoon – it was also meant to run on Sunday – after facing a barrage of complaints from those who had been inside. Angry guests soon created a Facebook group where they mobilized efforts to secure refunds and expose Coull's history of questionable business, which includes a series of independently published thriller novels with plots that touch on right-wing issues around human trafficking and vaccination . (Members also ended up sharing many of the memes inspired by photos and videos they had taken at the event.)
Meanwhile, Coull deleted most of the content from the Facebook page for House of Illuminati, the company responsible for “Willy's Chocolate Experience,” and deleted his personal website, leading many to speculate that he had the profits from this disastrous affair. (The actors also claim they have was not paid.) On Friday, Coull finally released a statement from the House of Illuminati account expressing deep regret and seeking to dispel a number of rumors.
“First, I want to offer my sincerest apologies to each and every one of you who have been looking forward to this event,” Coull wrote. “I understand the frustration and disappointment this has caused and for that, I am truly sorry.” He clarified that he alone – as the seemingly sole employee of the House of Illuminati – was responsible for how the attraction was revealed and that “anyone who was recruited from the outside or offered their help” was not to blame for the incident.
Coull also mentioned Gowanbank Hub, a now-defunct Glasgow food bank he co-founded, ostensibly to note that it had nothing to do with the Wonka fiasco. He went on to deny a rumor that he was using money from the event to pay for a wedding and honeymoon: “Regarding a personal matter,” the statement said, “there will be no wedding and no wedding was funded by ticket sales. This is a difficult time for me and I ask for your understanding and privacy.”
While he did not address complaints from actors who say they were not compensated, Coull insisted that every customer would receive a full refund. “I am committed to rectifying this situation,” he wrote, pledging to “ensure transparency and demonstrate my commitment to making this right for everyone affected.” Finally, he asked for “some time to process everything that has happened,” explaining, “My intention is to learn from this experience.”
Commentators joked about the event being a retrospective hit as an online premiere and encouraged Coull to bring it up again. “You can do it again in LA but please don't change a thing,” wrote one. But attendees weren't satisfied with Coull's mea culpa, claiming he still isn't taking responsibility (his name doesn't appear in the message) and that they hadn't received their refunds — in some cases despite being notified that was in progress.
“Listen to the people on here asking for refunds for almost a week now, they got the email saying the refund is in progress,” wrote one aggrieved visitor. “But like everyone else I have yet to get a refund, please do the right thing and give everyone the refunds they deserve.”
As it turns out, he's learning the hard way that a few words of reassurance — even coming from him instead of an AI — are no match for the fury of parents with frustrated kids and light wallets.
from our partners at https://www.rollingstone.com/culture/culture-features/willy-wonka-creator-apologizes-glasgow-1234979386/
