Brick Fest Live attendee ‘cheated’ by Lego event compared to Wonka experience

An HGV driver attending an event billed as one of the UK’s biggest Lego festivals said he felt “cheated” and “mis-sold” to see a half-empty room with small piles of bricks.

Mark Thorp, 45, from Leeds, was among the attendees who bought tickets to Brick Fest Live, an event featuring Lego displays, at the National Exhibition Center (NEC) in Birmingham on May 25.

Mr Thorp and his friend drove more than two hours from their home town just to spend 40 minutes at the venue – 20 of which were spent asking organizers for a refund.

He told the PA news agency: “It was definitely mis-sold. If people don’t get refunds, it feels like a scam.

“It feels like I’ve been cheated and I don’t think it’s fair.”

Mr Thorp and his friend booked tickets more than a month in advance and were enticed to go after organizers advertised the event as one for people of all ages.

He said: “There were about five or six tables with different colored bricks on them, which was great if you were eight and I think anything older than that, even they would soon get bored.

“We went because it was advertised for people of all ages and there would be people there selling retired kits and we went there wanting to spend a fortune.”

He added that he would not have attended the venue if he had paid on the door, and photos he took of the event revealed empty spaces.

“I was disappointed before I even walked in because I expected to see a lot of tables with people selling things,” he said.

“If we had shown up to pay at the door, I think we would have turned around and left.”

He compared the disappointing event to Willy’s Chocolate Experience, a Willy Wonka gone wrong in Glasgow that went viral.

“It felt a lot like that Wonka event,” Mr Thorp said.

“It wasn’t the end of the world, but it was a waste of time.”

Mr Thorp spent £20 on each ticket and an additional £18.50 on parking at the NEC as well as purchasing fuel to travel to the venue.

He tried to contact the organizers for a refund on his ticket and urged them to “do the right thing”.

“It’s the principle for me. It’s only £20 but that’s the principle,” he said.

“Do the right thing. It’s £20 for you, so I can understand if he has to give back a few thousand.

“But it saves face and at least people stop talking bad about it. If they advertise what’s coming and what it’s actually there for, then people will leave.

“Do you risk a few thousand pounds in your pocket or always have bad press about it?”

A spokesperson for Brick Fest Live said it recognized that some elements of the event were not for adult Lego enthusiasts.

They said: “Brick Fest Live originated in the US where it has been very successful for nearly a decade.

“Over the last month, there have been tens of thousands of guests coming through this event in Edinburgh and Milton Keynes, children and families taking part in this interactive, hands-on festival.

“Where many have given positive feedback, we are aware that Brick Fest Live may not deliver for adult-level enthusiasts and there are elements of the show that do not satisfy this customer sector.

“We read all customer feedback and deal with comments. We are working quickly to pass on customer feedback to the creators of Brick Fest Live so they can take these observations into consideration to deliver future events that live up to all customer expectations.”