RuPaul's DragCon UK attendees demand refunds after being locked out due to overcrowding

18 January 2020, 17:23

By Sam Prance

RuPaul's DragCon UK have insisted that they haven't oversold tickets in an official statement.

RuPaul launched the first-ever DragCon UK this weekend (Jan 18-19). However, the event is facing huge backlash from fans.

DragCon is an expo, in which fans are able to meet their favourite drag queens in person and watch them take part in panels and live performances. RuPaul first started DragCon in LA in 2015 and he's since set up DragCon in New York City and now London. RuPaul's DragCon UK boasts appearances from RuPaul, the cast of Drag Race UK and many famous US queens. Bianca Del Rio, Bob the Drag Queen, Trinity the Tuck, Monet X Change and The Vivienne are all on the all-star line-up.

READ MORE: QUIZ: Everyone is a combination of a UK and US Drag Race queen, which are you?

British drag fans were extremely excited to be able to attend DragCon at the Olympia London but reports from the event so far are negative. People are complaining about queuing and claiming to have been locked outside for hours. There is even video footage of fans outside the expo chanting to be refunded for their tickets and it's being compared to TanaCon.

Taking to Twitter today (Jan 18), one of the attendees wrote: "People are getting impatient at #DragCon #RuPaul #dragconuk we want a refund if don’t let us in!!" They also posted a video in which you can hear people demanding for refunds. Another person tweeted a photo of the crowding inside, stating: "This is far too overpacked. How are you meant to move in that?"

People have also claimed that they've now missed panels and performances they'd come specifically to see because of the overcrowding and being locked out. A fan tweeted: "They sold way too many tickets for DragCon UK. Inside is packed, the morning events are over and people still outside queueing for hours."

Someone also tweeted about the big cost of tickets and the lack of updates: "Okay, @RuPaulsDragCon is a total shambles. We've been queueing for two hours, haven't moved for one hour, no updates, no nothing! Cold, hungry, feet hurt, need the loo. And we paid a fortune for the tickets!"

There have also been tweets saying that it's similar to TanaMongeau's infamous TanaCon expo, which also received complaints for overcrowding issues.

Following the complaints, @RuPaulsDragCon tweeted: "Hey kitty girls, we know that some of you unfortunately had to queue outside the convention center. We apologize for the wait as Health and Safety required us to slow the flow of people coming in."

They then continued: "If your ticket isn’t scanned and you would like to return, you are welcome to come tomorrow and we will honor your ticket. If you would like to reach out, you can find us at help@rupaulsdragcon.com. We are working to make sure you have the best weekend possible."

The event organisers World Of Wonder have also since released an official statement in response to the complaints. It reads: “Health and Safety officers had advised us to temporarily halt the queue entrances today for an hour due to clogging of the aisles and from there on out - we got everyone in as fast as possible under H&S's watch. We have met with the venue, security and H&S for tomorrow's event and are confident that the same issues won't arise."

It then goes on: "Thank you and we appreciate you. If your ticket wasn’t scanned and you would like to return you are welcome to use your ticket to come tomorrow. If you can’t make tomorrow, refunds will be honoured - please email help@rupaulsdragcon.com for further assistance.”

What do you think? Did you attend RuPaul's DragCon UK?