When good service fails, saying nothing isn't an option.. This Ain't Texas.. This Ain't Even Any Good and Man, I feel like a refund..

Billed as the Ultimate Country Music Festival.. I called it Wales's own version of the Glasgow Willy Wonka Experience..

Last Saturday (27th June 2026), I attended the This Ain't Texas festival at the Carmarthen Showground with my family in South Wales.

I genuinely wanted it to be a success.

I was hoping for a truly lovely day together with people I care about, surrounded by a great festival crowd.. Sadly... that wasn't to be.

I love all kinds of music, particularly the Blues, but I'm also rather partial to a bit of good old Country and Western. My late parents loved the classics – Jim Reeves, Tammy Wynette, Waylon Jennings, Johnny Cash, Kenny Rogers and Slim Whitman – so there's always been a soft spot for the genre.

In good ole boy mode.. never meaning no harm..

The entrance ticket represented reasonable value at £49 for three people, and I fully appreciate the enormous effort that goes into organising an event of this scale. I also recognise that no event is ever perfect.

However, there comes a point where disappointment becomes something more significant.

The experience simply didn't match what had been advertised.

Nowhere near it...

Not even in the same county.

The entertainment lacked the authenticity many people expected, with performances feeling more like karaoke than professional tribute acts.

Whilst the admission price was modest, food, drink and merchandise were priced at levels that many families would associate with a premium festival. Advertised attractions, including axe throwing, simply weren't there.

Even stranger, despite being marketed as a country music event, there was a giant red Hulk fairground ride and other novelty attractions that seemed completely out of place.

Now, I'm as partial to The Incredible Hulk as anyone...

...but I can't remember the last time I saw Bruce Banner enjoying a spot of line dancing with Black Widow.

Although I did feel like telling the organisers:

"Please don't make me angry... You wouldn't like me when I'm angry."

(Those of a certain age will appreciate that classic 1970s TV reference!)

Unfortunately, the overall experience didn't justify the additional costs, and the basic facilities and organisation fell well below what paying customers should reasonably expect.

What interested me most afterwards wasn't simply the event itself.

It was the reaction.

Even within minutes of arriving, something didn't feel right. The event just didn't click.

Around us, people were already expressing concerns.

The queues for drinks were exceeding an hour.

One can of beer or cider cost £7 and was opened before being handed over.

Ice creams were £5.

Soft drinks were £5.

A screen-printed poncho?

A bargain... at £45.

There were also widespread complaints regarding the toilet facilities. One of the men's facilities was effectively open-air, offering very little privacy. Subsequent media reports suggested that the ladies' facilities were in an even worse condition, with damaged cubicles and unacceptable levels of cleanliness.

After the event, social media quickly filled with criticism.

Unfortunately, many negative comments appeared to disappear from the organisers' Facebook page, with several attendees, myself included, finding ourselves blocked after raising concerns, despite being civil and just asking for attentiveness in our feedback.

Another attendee created a dedicated complaints group, which quickly grew to more than 500 members.

At that point, I decided to take a different approach.

Rather than simply complain, I wanted to understand what had gone wrong and ensure the concerns of attendees were properly represented. I actually found it distressing to look around the field that Saturday and to see good people and their families, frankly, being ripped off.

That led to conversations with the media, a formal complaint, and information being provided to the authorities.

This, in turn, resulted in my speaking with Wales Online, and the article has since been shared nationally and internationally. I have also been contacted by the BBC to discuss both the event itself and the lack of response to customer complaints submitted through the organisers' own website.

https://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/wales-news/welsh-version-willy-wonka-fiasco-34199781

Throughout my career in Service Delivery, I've learned something very simple.

Complaints are not the enemy.

They are opportunities.

Yes, they can feel like thorns on a rose...

...but they're still attached to the rose.

Embrace them.

Learn from them.

The organisations that thrive aren't those that never make mistakes.

They're the ones who listen, acknowledge problems honestly, and act decisively to put things right.

Whether you're running a technology service, a charity, a public service, or a family festival, the principles remain the same.

✅ Deliver what you promised.

✅ Price fairly and transparently.

✅ Listen when customers raise concerns.

✅ Own mistakes quickly.

✅ Learn and improve.

Good customer service isn't about perfection.

It's about integrity.

I was particularly disappointed by the organisers' response after the event.

Describing it on socials as a "highly successful event" while briefly mentioning that "lessons had been learned" felt completely at odds with the scale of the criticism being expressed by attendees.

Promising that next year's event will be "better" is admirable.

But first, you have to acknowledge that this year's event wasn't good enough.

Otherwise, it's a little like saying:

"The next car crash will be much better... because it'll be in a newer car."

The better approach would have been simple.

Thank the performers.

Thank the staff.

Thank the attendees.

Acknowledge that the event fell below expectations.

Apologise.

Explain what happened.

Commit to doing better.

That's how trust is rebuilt.

I genuinely hope the organisers take the feedback constructively because Wales deserves events that people can enjoy, recommend and look forward to attending year after year.

I'd much rather be writing next year about a remarkable turnaround than another disappointing experience.

Will I be returning?

Sadly...

This Ain't Ty's Texas anymore.

Why?

Because my complaint remains unanswered.

Because feedback appeared to be removed rather than acknowledged.

And because I have concerns about the way criticism has been handled since the event. Some anonymous positive posts appearing within the complaints group struck me as unusual. I cannot say who posted them or why, but it certainly did little to restore confidence.

Constructive criticism, when offered respectfully and acted upon professionally, is one of the most valuable gifts an organisation can receive.

Acknowledge.

Investigate.

Respond.

Explain.

Thank the customer for taking the time to raise the issue.

Sometimes the most important thing a customer can do isn't ask for a refund.

It's to speak up in the hope that things become better for everyone.

I'm an optimistic person.

I sincerely hope I'm proved wrong.

But based on everything I've seen so far...

I'm not saddling up for This Ain't Texas 2027.

.. Man.. I still want that refund..

Just to prove my Good Ole Boy credentials..

The Dukes of Carmarthenshire

This is me with Catherine Bach, Tom Wopat, and John Schneider a few years ago in London.. Yee Haa!!

#CustomerExperience #ServiceDelivery #Leadership #ContinuousImprovement #CustomerService #ConsumerRights #ProfessionalStandards #Governance #EventManagement #Integrity #LessonsLearned #PublicService #Wales #SpeakUp #ContinuousImprovement #QualityMatters #DukesOfHazzard #Dukes