“Play Oasis!”
That’s exactly what one unsuspecting customer spent almost an hour shouting at a pub jukebox after pranksters covered it with a fake “Voice Activated” sticker.
The hilarious practical joke has been causing confusion at The Stone Roses Bar in York, where mystery pranksters have secretly placed convincing stickers on everything from the jukebox and hand dryers to a phone charging station.
While staff have been left in stitches, some customers have been completely fooled.
A Joke That Keeps on Giving
According to owner Joel Bray, the fake stickers have been appearing all over the city centre bar over the past few days, turning everyday equipment into the latest victims of an elaborate prank.
Each time staff remove one sticker, another seems to appear somewhere else, leaving them constantly on the lookout for the mystery joker.
The pub, which Joel runs alongside his parents Greg and Sharon, is popular with York’s student community, leading them to suspect the culprit could be one of their regular student customers.
“Play Oasis!”
The funniest moment so far came when a customer genuinely believed the jukebox could be controlled by voice commands.
After spotting the sticker, they reportedly spent almost an hour repeatedly shouting “Play Oasis!” in the hope the machine would spring into life.
Unfortunately, the jukebox stubbornly refused to listen.
Joel joked on social media that the prank had already created plenty of memorable moments for both staff and customers.
Even the Hand Dryers Weren’t Safe
The jukebox wasn’t the only target.
Fake “Voice Activated” stickers have also appeared on hand dryers and a phone charging machine, leaving customers talking to equipment that, unsurprisingly, never responds.
Although removing the stickers has become part of the daily routine, the staff admit they can’t help but laugh every time they discover another one.
“I’d Probably Buy Them a Pint”
Despite the extra work, Joel says there are no hard feelings.
In fact, if he ever discovers who is behind the prank, his reaction might surprise them.
Rather than throwing them out of the pub, he says he’d probably shake their hand and buy them a pint.
He admits the stickers are a nuisance to peel off, but says the laughs they’ve created have made it one of the funniest practical jokes the pub has experienced.
Pub Banter at Its Best
British pubs have always been home to a bit of harmless banter, and while this prank has left a few customers talking to machines, it’s also given plenty of people a reason to smile.
As for anyone visiting The Stone Roses Bar in the near future…
You might want to think twice before asking the jukebox to “Play Oasis.”
