The original Harry Potter generation are now in their twenties and thirties, putting them in the prime age group for a wizarding-themed bar. Fantasy fan Matthew Cortland wants to make that happen.
Cortland is Kickstarting a fantasy-inspired “wizarding pub” in London, called the Cauldron. He plans to build voice- and touch-sensitive magic wands to operate the lights, beer taps, and other technology around the pub, creating an immersive magical world. His launch video describes a dream for fans who want to experience the world of Harry Potter in real life.
The Cauldron Kickstarter will launch on Jun 26, giving you a little under a month to delve into the project. It sounds like Cortland wants to harness the power of fantasy fandom to workshop new ideas for the pub, including hackathons to devise new “magic” tech.
If Cortland can pull this off, the Cauldron could become a huge tourist attraction for Potter fans in London. It sounds awesome, but like any crowdfunding campaign, you need to be aware of the risks. Launching a pub is already a difficult endeavor (in fact, London pubs have been closing steadily for years), and while Cortland has clearly done his research, this is a very ambitious project for a group of tech entrepreneurs. He also doesn’t have a location yet, promising to secure a premise for the Cauldron by October this year. So when the Kickstarter arrives in June, make sure to check the planning details before investing a lot of cash.