Billy Coull, a businessman and director of the House of Illuminati, found himself in hot water after the Glasgow Willy Wonka Experience organized by his company went viral for all the wrong reasons. The event, which was supposed to be a magical experience for families, was abruptly shut down at the end of February 2024.
Coull is also the director of Billy De Savage and Nexuma Holdings. His LinkedIn profile described him as someone with a wealth of experience in crafting marketing campaigns and events. However, this is not the first time Coull’s events have faced backlash, as he was criticized in 2021 for canceling a Santa’s grotto event after donations had been made due to the spread of the Omicron variant.
The Glasgow Willy Wonka Experience, held at a warehouse in Whiteinch, was marred by complaints from customers about the quality of the event. Parents who had paid £35 for a ticket complained of waiting in line for 45 minutes only to complete the entire experience in seven minutes. Children were left in tears, and staff reportedly had to ration jelly beans and drinks to customers.
Actors hired for the event have expressed embarrassment over the fiasco and are considering legal action over unpaid wages. House of Illuminati issued a statement apologizing for the failed event and promised full refunds to ticket holders. The company acknowledged its shortcomings and expressed regret over the situation.
A change.org petition has been launched to reopen the Glasgow Willy Wonka Experience, with over 6,300 signatures at the time of writing. The petition highlights the impact of the event’s closure on the local community and businesses that benefited from the tourist attraction.
Despite the public outcry, neither Billy Coull nor House of Illuminati have responded to the appeal for the reopening of the Willy Wonka Experience. Attempts to contact the company for a response have been unsuccessful.
