Strangers Seek Shelter From Snow Storm Inside Pub

You’ve been stuck in line at the grocery store, probably delayed for hours at the airport, maybe even had to stay an extra night in a hotel due to bad weather on a road trip. But 61 people received the ability to one-up almost anyone’s delayed travel story when they were stuck at a bar for 3 days with nothing but barrels of beer and live music for entertainment.

This sounds like something people would pay good money and line up to attend, but it happened by accident to revelers at the highest altitude pub in Great Britain. The Tan Hill Inn is located in the Yorkshire Dales, about 270 north of London, and sits at about 1,732 feet above sea level. That doesn’t sound very high by American standards, where we’re used to the Mile High City and Montana in general, but that altitude combined with Britain’s latitude made for a winter storm that stopped traffic and trapped travelers.

On Saturday, November 27, three feet of snow fell on the Tan Hill Inn and caused a power outage and unpassable road conditions. Visitors at the time numbered 61, including pub staff and members of Noasis, an Oasis cover band. 

Pub manager Nicola Townsend told the Associated Press that the group was in “really good spirits. They’ve formed quite a friendship…like a big family is the best way I can describe it.”

The group did experience a medical emergency, so mountain rescuers pushed through the inclement weather to provide assistance to the guest. The injured party’s name and medical condition remain unknown, but the rescuer twisted his ankle on arrival and decided to pour a draught and stay for another few songs. Not really, but that’s what I would have done. 

Noasis, who performed a scheduled set on Friday evening and then became trapped at the bar with customers on Saturday, didn’t seem to mind the delay too much.

“Oh, it’s a lovely war! We’re still stranded @thetanhillin_Hope it rains soon!” Noasis posted to Instagram on Sunday. 

The roads were cleared after the weekend and people allowed to travel home. Last weekend is now fading into a lasting memory the trapped pubgoers will laugh about for years to come. Unless they don’t like British rock, in which case they’re just grateful there was enough beer to get them through three days of “Champagne Supernova.”