'My living room looks more enchanting' - Enchanted Kenilworth Castle not a hit with public

Enchanted Kenilworth Castle started on Friday December 15 and will run until Saturday December 23. The event promised 'a winter fairytale of light, colour and sound.'

By Monday morning (December 18), several disgruntled customers had made their views known on the event's Facebook page. Many complained over the event's lack of 'enchantment' for the price.

An adult ticket cost £14, a child £9.50, and a family £37.50, with a discount for English Heritage members.

Other complaints were about the lack of a Christmas tree, no actors being on site, and the 'underwhelming' fairground which only had a teacup ride iwth no music.

Kate Olden commented: "Really there wasn’t anything enchanting about it. My living room looks more enchanting. I really do love Kenilworth but this event was a real let down for the price of the tickets."

Louise Clarke said: "This isn’t as advertised. The castle looks pretty lit up but there really was nothing else to it. So sad. I’m upset that this was what we chose to do as a family this year and it didn’t live up to any expectation.

And Richard Jones said: "If this event was being put on by a local farmer ,at a much reduced price, I would have taken it as a bit of joke and then laughed it off.

"But no, this event was put on by a national heritage company that should value history and culture. I feel the whole event was a complete rip off."

The event was enjoyed by some, however, who took to Facebook to defend English Heritage.

Nicole Cleaton said her evening was 'thoroughly enjoyable'. She added: "The castle was lit beautifully with great historical projections. We came prepared for the muddy paths which was of course expected at this time of year. Minced pies and mulled wine - happy days."

And Gem Keogh said: "It’s a beautiful experience for everyone. I think due to the time of the year everyone is assuming it should be festive. Arrive with a different idea and it’s a lovely event."

In response to the negative reaction, English Heritage insisted it took people's comments 'extremely seriously'.

A spokesman added: “We are sorry that some people have been disappointed by their visit to the castle.

"Our team worked very hard to prepare for Enchanted Kenilworth in really difficult weather conditions, and some elements weren’t quite as we had hoped. We are working hard to improve the experience for the rest of the event.”

Anyone wishing to speak to English Heritage Customer Service should call 0370 333 1181 or email [email protected]. For more information, click here