Magician charges charity £400 for show then poof… he is gone

A magician who quite literally pulled a disappearing act after charging a community hub £400 for a performance has apologised for not refunding them soon enough – and apparently this isn’t a first.

Dean Spruce, a magician for more than 20 years and owner of Divine Magic, has reportedly used many excuses to let down excited customers.

Complainants claim he has previously given excuses such as being in a ‘car accident’, ‘having Covid’, or being in ‘hospital with broken ribs.’

For Crossens Community Centre in Southport, he messaged them the morning of his scheduled performance, saying his brother had died and he needed to return to Scotland.

Dean had charged the centre £400 for ‘wonderful entertainment’ for their Summer Fair in June.

The entertainment was supposed to include a magic show, bubble show, workshops, ‘walkround magic’, balloons, and ‘amazement’ -but he never turned up.

Vice chair of the community association, Fiona Townsend, 54, told the Liverpool Echo how they thought the package deal was amazing and that they paid him the full amount, looking forward to it.

Unfortunately, disappointment followed when, on the morning of the event, Dean messaged the centre to say his brother had died and he had to return to Scotland.

Five months later, Fiona says they are still waiting for a full refund from the magician who has been ‘promising’ to pay the money back.

According to Fiona, they have asked him for the money and he sent them £100, but they are still waiting for the remaining £300.

She also told the Liverpool Echo: ‘He keeps messaging us promising to pay us money but he never does.’

‘I feel like he strings you along. We’ve seen online that he has been turning up to some events and not others, it’s like he picks and chooses and double books events. He has done it all over the country to different people.’

In a statement, Dean Spruce said: ‘I’m sorry for what has happened and Crossens will have been refunded £200 by the time of this article. I am working hard to refund everyone.

‘I have been in contact with the affected groups and I’m sorry it happened as this year has been hard and I had similar issues three years ago too. I could have handled it better and I’m sorry and it will be sorted any issues please email me.’

Press and Journal have reported that several charities and small businesses have also been let down by Dean, with thousands of pounds in payments taken without performances being done.

The magician was issued a police warning after a string of incidents recorded between June and December 2023, the Press and Journal reported.

Metro have contacted Dean Spruce.

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