The Longest Lock In!
Most darts players like the odd drink and joke about the good old days when “Lock Ins” at pubs for after hours drinking, especially in the village pubs, were quite popular. They still happen occasionally and during the warm up to our darts match the other night we were all having a bit of a joke about them when I said, “What about those Leeds University students who were locked in for 3 days?”
In
actual fact they weren’t locked in, but were snowed in and simply couldn’t
get out! Apparently some 30 students and teachers had organised a New Years Eve
party at a barn, but were forced to go to the pub to celebrate because of the
weather. The snowfall was only a couple of feet deep, but ploughs couldn’t get
through due to the winds and deep drifting, so the “UNFORTUNATE”
students had to stay in the pub.
The pub of their choice, which just happened to be the Tan Hill Inn situated in the Yorkshire Dales, is the highest pub in England. Perhaps it was an unwise choice for such a party, given it’s location and the fact that it was the middle of Winter, or then again, perhaps it was well planned as it ended up being the longest ever New Years Eve party!
The students made the best of a bad situation by helping the Landlord to clear out all of last years beer in preparation for his new stocks, when the brewery deliveries could get through after the snow ploughs!
One of the trapped, unfortunate students, said that they had to help with the chores such as washing up and preparing vegetables, but they didn’t really mind, as although the real ales had dried up, there was still some ordinary beer left!
The
DJ, who had been hired to play there, added that they kept being told that a
snowplow was on its way, but people didn’t seem to complain too much when it
never arrived!
Eventually of course the ploughs did get through, but by then the revelers had been trapped in the pub for a record breaking, New Years Eve party, lasting
3 days!
The Tan Hill Inn had previously been made famous for featuring in a double glazing advert some years ago, but will now undoubtedly be forever remembered by all serious pub drinkers as an excellent venue for a New Years Eve party!