Storefront City

WHAT: Cursed Presents Fright Fest 2019
WHEN: 17 October – 2 November, 2019
WHERE: Wat Tyler Centre (Pitsea Hall Lane, Pitsea, Basildon, SS16 4UH)
PRICE: £18-34

OUR RATING: CHANCE IT!

On the winding back roads of the Essex countryside, you come across a whimsical fairground, complete with big top. But beware: this isn’t your ordinary circus, which you’ll soon realize when the friendly-looking clown that’s rapidly approaching has something other than fun on his mind. Enter Cursed…

Safe Zone
Our Scare Factor: 6/10
Atmosphere: 7/10

Storyline: The infected are honing in, and you need to make it to quarantine. Will you arrive at the safe zone unharmed, or will you become one of them?

After facing judgement we were thrown into the outside ‘safe zone’ starting with a journey through a haystack maze. This was definitely one of the highlights of the night, as the haystacks and the actors created a chilling ambience, and it was really fun trying to decide in the complete dark which path to take and if we should venture under the haystack piles and face the wrath of the creatures in order to get out. 

The only real downside to this maze is that after we passed the actors some of them broke character and started chatting and laughing, but it was still probably the most fun we had all night. 

The Institute
Our Scare Factor: 5/10
Atmosphere: 5/10

Storyline: As Junior Reporter’s, you have been assigned to witness the execution of Andie Gard at Bridgegate Institute, the infamous serial killer… but inmates don’t take too kindly to visitors, so watch your back

The beginning of this maze was definitely scary as you witnessed the attempted – and botched – execution of a serial killer who escapes in front of your very eyes. Other than this, this was a very typical prison-style attraction with lots of metal bars and strobe lights, but the beginning certainly made it an entertaining adventure. 

The Haunting
Scare Factor: 5/10
Atmosphere: 6/10

Storyline: This house has been left vacant for decades, and you are about to learn why. You’d be surprised how heightened your senses are when you aren’t able to see.

After experiencing Tulleys’ VIXI maze, the concept behind this maze was very familiar. We put on blackout goggles to venture into this hair-raising house – while a bit annoying for those who wear glasses, this was much better than the black hoods of Tulleys, as we could feel water, air, and other elements on our faces, which was certainly an interesting experience. We don’t think the two mazes were too different from each other other than this – it still seemed a bit too simple and missing out on lots of sensory opportunities (again, no smells!) but there was a tiny bit of touching by the actors which was definitely creepy! (Granted, they should have warned about this for those who have issues, but it was so slight to not be problematic for us – instead it was quite intriguing!)

Abducted
Our Scare Factor: 5/10
Atmosphere: 5/10

Storyline: A quiet drink in the local tavern leads to a chilling story about local disappearances. What will you do when you come face to face with the explanation? Running may be your only option.

The beginning and end of this maze were exceptional, with an immersive tavern-themed intake room and a crazy room full of alien-like nests and creatures protecting them at the end. We also enjoyed the slower strobes in this maze where we couldn’t really see what terrors we were headed toward at the end of harrowing hallways. Our special warning for this maze is to put your hats and any loose accessories away before you get extremely squeezed – do not take the warnings of claustrophobia in this one lightly!

The Sewers
Our Scare Factor: 4/10
Atmosphere: 5/10

Storyline: The Workshop was shut down, forcing business underground. Will you be able to navigate your way through the tunnel system and escape the butchers clasp?

This maze certainly had a genuinely fun theme perfect for the UK at Halloween, with old and eerie Victorian-style brick walls and tunnels you had to choose between. Unfortunately, while all the mazes at this park were short, this one was even shorter, and we were out before we really knew what was going, but it was gripping while it lasted!

Final Thoughts: This was for sure a special community-style event and we could tell the actors really cared and tried very hard to help you enjoy your evening. The mazes were admittedly quite short, but they definitely took amazing advantage of the space allowed in each of the maze marquees. The biggest disappointment was the theming of the main event green area, which is the hub into and out of the mazes. There was a small entertainment space and a single food truck, but the lack of lighting and any decorations really let this area down. We didn’t really want to hang around and enjoy the ambience as there really wasn’t any – this was the biggest let down of the night, and just a few small touches, from decorating the ped-barriers to adding some strands of lights or even a sweet stand, would have changed everything. But all in all the mazes and actors made this a night we would suggest you give a try, especially if you are local to the area!

P.S.: The UK has haunts galore this Halloween season. Why not try out Hallowscream at York Maze for some more chills and thrills.