A Few Jelly Beans and a World of Disappointment at Willy Wonka Event

Families in Scotland were expecting to taste chocolate treats and observe “optical marvels” at a Willy Wonka-themed event in Glasgow this past weekend. Instead, they got a couple of jelly beans, a short walk around a nearly empty warehouse and a visit from police officers.

The event, Willy’s Chocolate Experience, scheduled for Feb. 24 and 25, promised on event listing websites to include chocolate fountains, performances by Oompa Loompas and interactive experiences inspired by scenes from Roald Dahl’s book “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.”

One father, Stuart Sinclair, drove two hours from Dundee to take his three children to the event. “There was maybe 20 chairs, a couple of tables and a half-inflated bouncy castle,” he said.

Mr. Sinclair said that he paid 35 pounds, or about $44, per ticket for his two sons, aged 10 and 11, and his daughter, 4, who was dressed in a Willy Wonka costume and had told her preschool teachers how excited she was to go to the event.

“The children got two jelly beans each,” Mr. Sinclair said. “And then they got a half a cup of lemonade.”