Keep calm and carry on! Bingo Brits totally unfazed as storm water cascades into hall while game continues
Mecca Bingo Stevenage staff were seen running around with buckets to try to contain the rain cascading indoors
THIS is the surreal moment British bingo fans shrug off a storm to finish their game – even as water cascades into the hall around them.
Players at Mecca Bingo in Stevenage, Hertfordshire, were surprised when a drip gave way to a deluge during a game on Sunday evening.
Jaw-dropping footage captured the scene as guests sat totally unfazed by a curtain of water cutting the hall in two.
Lizzie Cairns, 57, who witnessed the spectacle said: “The louder the water got, the louder the bingo caller got, which was really funny.
“I said ‘I thought you might have closed it,’ and they said ‘we made sure that no-one was in danger,’ and no-one was, they literally made sure everyone was safe.
“And you know British people, we carry on.”
Video courtesy Jackie Jones
Another witness, Jackie Jones, 62, said: “We just laughed to be quite honest with you.
“Everyone was just laughing about it, because the staff were all running around with buckets, trying to stop it.
“But there was so much coming out that in the end they had to just leave it.
“Nobody got wet, only the staff that were trying to stop it.”
And they weren’t the only ones laughing – footage of the incident had locals in stitches on Facebook.
“The roof could collapse but still waiting for 88” joked one viewer.
Another wrote: “Still playing though... two ducks, 22!”
One more commented: “Will take my umbrella in future”.
The bizarre spectacle unfolded amid a downpour that prompted a yellow alert for rain from the Met Office.
A rainfall gauge in nearby St Albans showed a spike in precipitation at the time of the video.
“It started dripping and then all of a sudden it just poured in,” said Jackie.
Lizzie added: “We were literally sitting at a table playing bingo and then we could hear a kind of crash, and it was like a waterfall coming down.”
But the bingo faithful soldiered on.
In a post on Facebook, the facility’s management acknowledged the situation.
They wrote: “You will be pleased to know that we are still open for business after some weather issues.
“We would like thank you for your patience and understanding last night. Not even a bit of rain can dampen the Mecca way.”
Jackie and Lizzie, both Stevenage locals, each praised the staff.
“The staff were amazing,” said Lizzie.
“They were literally on the ball with buckets and whatever they could get a hold of, and moving the fruit machines away to make sure nothing blew up, like electrics and stuff.
“They said ‘we’re really sorry’ but it was out of their hands really. They never knew that was gonna happen.”
Jackie recalled: “They did say it was quite safe, but they asked us to move to the other end of the hall.
“The electrics were fine, they had slot machines there but they moved all those out of the way.
“They said that the floor would dry out soon enough and the workmen would fix the roof.
“Everything carried on as normal.”
A Mecca Bingo spokesperson said: “Like much of the country, Stevenage experienced some incredibly heavy downpours on Sunday evening.
“Unfortunately the drainage on our roof became blocked, which led to rainwater leaking in an isolated section of our club for a short time.
“The safety and comfort of our customers is always our top priority – so although no one was sat directly in the affected area, we quickly ensured anyone nearby was moved safely away.
“We’ve since had maintenance teams in to investigate and resolve the issue and the club remains open as normal. We’d like to thank our customers for their understanding and support.”