Festive fail compared to viral 'Wonka experience'

A Christmas spectacular described as “just terrible” by “really upset” families has been compared to a disappointing Willy Wonka-inspired event that became a viral sensation.

Christmas Spectacular Bury St Edmunds promised an “unforgettable” festive extravaganza across four weekends in November and December.

Ticket holders who went to the opening two days, however, said it failed to deliver - and one compared it to the Wonka-themed "experience" in Glasgow where posts of underwhelming displays got millions of hits.

The Bury spectacular's organisers - who have cancelled the future events - said they “worked tirelessly to put on the best show” and apologised for the "disappointment”.

The festive celebration, on land the organisers had rented at Bury St Edmunds Rugby Football Club, advertised ice skating, a Santa’s Grotto, face painting and a Christmas workshop.

Tribute acts, meet and greets with fictional characters and a Christmas cinema were also promised.

Dan Prescott, who went with his dad, wife and two children at a cost of £24, said the attractions did not live up to expectations.

He said: “My five-year-old really wanted to do ice skating but it was a plastic rink, which looked miserable and even she knew it was rubbish.

“Nobody knew what was going on if I am honest, and people didn’t know whether to laugh or not because it was just terrible.

“We thought there would be lights, snow and Christmas stuff, but it was really poorly put together and not Christmassy at all and did not give off Christmas cheer.

“It was nothing like we expected or what we’d been sold. It reminded me of that Willy Wonka experience.

"It was the Wonka experience of Bury.”

Rugby club chair Craig Germeney said it had worked with the organisers before on successful events.

He said the failure of the spectacular was a "blow" because the club had hoped it would help raise much-needed funds, but he added the organisers had "done the right thing" by cancelling it.

Mr Germeney said: "It's disappointing for us, it's disappointing for ticket holders and it's disappointing for the organisers.

"It was not their intention to do anything that fell below their usual standards."

Jenny Stringer, who took her grandchildren as a surprise, said: “From afar, it was okay, but as we got closer the reality of what was there kicked in - which was that it had just been thrown together days before.

“I felt really upset for the girls because I thought it was going to be amazing and a Christmas experience but, alas, it wasn’t.”

Another event-goer, Ric Groves, said it "was something of a let down".

He added: "Honestly, you couldn't make it up. A lot of families wasted money on this and there was a lot of disappointed kids."

But John Row, who played Santa Claus at the Christmas Spectacular, said all the children "left with smiles on their faces".

"The weather didn't help but all in all I thought it was good value," he said.

The event organisers told the BBC all future shows had been cancelled “due to the negative feedback” and said ticket holders would be refunded.

A spokesperson added: “Unfortunately, we’ve been really up against it with the numerous storms, wind and extremely wet conditions during the site build.

“Our fairground supplier has been stuck in the Wales floods and a number of our Christmas market traders pulled out off the back of this.”

They added: "We sincerely apologise for any disappointment this has caused."

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