Is three days in a pub with an Oasis tribute band too long? Definitely Maybe.
Some 50 drinkers stranded in a remote 17th-century pub for three nights after heavy snowfall in northern England while they watched an Oasis tribute band would be forgiven for wondering just that.
They slept on couches or on the floor at The Tan Hill Inn in Yorkshire, England — more than 200 miles north of London — after snow and fallen power lines blocked nearby roads starting Friday.
The pub — known as Britain’s highest inn, which sits at 1,732 feet above sea level — shared updates on Facebook, jokingly calling guests “inmates.”
“Let’s be honest,” one update said. “Being stuck anywhere is a trial, a challenge to the mental health of some people, and yes, some are at breaking point after three days of being confined.”
Vicky Hodgson, 43, traveled over an hour to the rural pub with her partner in their campervan to watch “Noasis,” the Oasis tribute band.
The forecast predicted light snowfall, so they weren’t concerned about the weather. But by the end of the night, the pub’s entrance was covered by thick snow.
“It was unreal, the snow must have been about waist-deep,” Hodgson told NBC News over the phone. “I’ve never seen anything like it.”
She said it had been “a wild ride of emotions” but a weekend full of “memories.”
Hodgson said staff had been “absolutely brilliant” and kept guests entertained with quizzes, karaoke, and plenty of food — including a free buffet.
The wintry weather brought heavy snow to many parts of the United Kingdom over the weekend. It left tens of thousands of homes without electricity and killed at least two people.
“Our guests have been absolutely amazing,” Nicola Townsend, the pub’s manager, told Sky News. “They’ve been really patient and really understanding.”
“Everyone came as strangers on Friday night and I think I speak on behalf of everyone when I say they have made friends here,” Townsend added.
At 2:16 p.m. local time (9:16 a.m. ET) Monday The Tan Hill Inn shared on Facebook that it had “given a fond farewell to our previously stranded guests” after the roads finally opened.
A photo of stranded patrons was shared on The Tan Hill Inn’s Facebook page, along with the caption: “We will ALWAYS remember this group of amazing people who came together, and hopefully, in challenging circumstances, enjoyed what we all think was a life-changing experience.”
Band members of “Noasis” who describe themselves as the “nation’s favorite Oasis tribute band” — wrote on Facebook that they had to cancel another performance on Saturday night because they were also trapped.
“We have no way of making it to our gig,” the band said.
Hodgson, who managed to leave the pub on Monday, said the “surreal” experience left her with some new, life-long friends.
“There’s talk of a reunion next year! Hopefully in the summer though,” she said, laughing.
Bianca Britton reported from London, and Suzanne Ciechalski reported from New York.