A Halloween event has been likened to the disastrous Willy Wonka experience in Glasgow after families walked around the ‘bleak’ and ‘depressing’ pumpkin display.
Attendee Alex Dodman, described it as ‘The UK’s most depressing pumpkin patch’ where organisers decided to ‘chuck a load of Tesco pumpkins in a field’.
The Suffolk Halloween event requires customers to pay an entry fee specifically for the pumpkin patch despite free access to the food stalls, bar and funfair ride.
Dodman said: ‘When I think about it, I’ve just paid £19.52 to walk into a field with sparsely scattered pumpkins, questionable halloween decor and all surrounded by a metal fence.’
Pointing out odd displays, broken pumpkins and games that did not seem to work, he also described the event as having ‘Glasgow Willy Wonka vibes’, a comparison to the event in Glasgow that went viral in 2024 for all the wrong reasons.
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The pumpkin patch in Barton Mills, Bury St Edmunds, has received mixed reviews, with complaints about broken pumpkins and mini-golf games.
Dodman paid an extra £5 for a pumpkin and conceded that the entrance fee, for a family of five, alongside the rides and food stall, were on the ‘cheaper side’ compared to similar events he had seen online.
The father said: ‘To be honest I don’t blame the organisers or the vendors. It goes deeper than that.
‘We all know trying to organise something like this would cost a bomb. Food van rates are through the roof. Businesses are struggling.’
The company responded to online criticism and said: ‘We often get asked “Why do you charge an entrance fee to the pumpkin patch?” Well, unfortunately, this is one of the reasons why…
‘Every morning, after a busy day welcoming families to our patch, we are faced with the heartbreaking sight of more and more pumpkins deliberately smashed, damaged displays and unnecessary mess left behind.
‘We simply cannot understand how anyone thinks it is acceptable to deliberately smash pumpkins, especially at a family attraction designed for everyone to enjoy.
‘Please remember, we are a small family-run business! We aren’t a big company with endless amounts of money.’
(Picture: Suffolk Pumpkin Patch / Facebook)
Other reviews have appreciated the patch. One called it a ‘great afternoon out’ and was ‘pleasantly surprised’ that it cost just over £30 for 4 adults and 4 children to attend.