The competition is tight (Picture: SWNS)
You’ve heard of the Shed of the Year competition, now get ready for Britain’s Best Pub Shed of the Year.
That’s right, there’s a whole other niche of shed, worthy of our attention.
And these high-end back garden boozers are battling it out to be crowned the winner of this year’s national competition, which takes place on November 12.
Three finalists have been revealed, which are:
The Tiger, Somerset – This one’s a traditional country-style pub, with a log burner, vintage furniture and wooden décor.The Stagger Inn, Manchester – The Stagger Inn (see what they did there?) has a more relaxed nightclub/bar feel, with a pool table, big screen TV, a quiz machine and DJ decks.The Dog & Ball, Portsmouth – This shed has its own dart board, a roof that’s covered in fairy lights and an outdoor beer garden/decking area built in.
John Simmonds, who built The Dog & Ball all on his own said: ‘I started this project over a year ago with two aims: to make the bar myself, and to make it from as much salvaged material as possible.
‘I achieved the first part having sourced, cut, sanded and fixed every timber and fitting and all 4,500 screws myself. This really is a handmade bar.
Got to love some fairy lights (Picture: Two Fat Blokes Bar Signs / SWNS)
So cosy (Picture: Two Fat Blokes Bar Signs / SWNS)
Talk about upcycling (Picture: Two Fat Blokes Bar Signs / SWNS)
‘Each piece has a different story’ (Picture: Two Fat Blokes Bar Signs / SWNS)
‘Doing it all from salvage was of course a challenge’ (Picture: Two Fat Blokes Bar Signs / SWNS)
‘Doing it all from salvage was of course a challenge — thank goodness for FB marketplace, advice from the fantastic members of the GSPN UK Facebook page and a very understanding wife who I dragged around local reclaim yards sifting through old timbers,’ says John.
‘With the exception of the main roof joists, every other part of the build is made from reclaimed, re-used or recycled timber and materials.
‘Each piece has a different story, from the bar ironmongery that belonged to my late father-in-law from his days as an RAF engineer, to the main oak upright timbers which I found in a reclaim yard that were remarkably salvaged from an old demolished building I worked in some 25 years ago.’
The Stagger Inn (Picture: Two Fat Blokes Bar Signs / SWNS)
Very swish (Picture: Two Fat Blokes Bar Signs / SWNS)
‘I do enjoy sitting in there most nights’ (Picture: Two Fat Blokes Bar Signs / SWNS)
‘I’m quite impressed myself, people can’t believe it’s in my garden’ (Picture: Two Fat Blokes Bar Signs / SWNS)
Meanwhile, Rick Cooper, owner of The Stagger Inn, built his shed on the site of an old bar.
He explained: ‘I previously had a bar in the back garden that was getting a little old and tatty.
‘So in 2020 when the pandemic hit I decided to pull down the old Stagger Inn and give it a massive revamp.
‘I was working full time throughout the pandemic and built this on my own in the little spare time I had.
‘I really wanted a pub/nightclub-themed shed so after many hours looking for inspiration I finally got my bar finished in 2022.
‘I’m quite impressed myself, people can’t believe it’s in my garden.
‘I do enjoy sitting in there most nights and practice playing pool shots and listening to my music whilst doing some home DJing on my decks.’
And The Tiger (Picture: Two Fat Blokes Bar Signs / SWNS)
‘We have had many fantastic nights and look forward to many more’ (Picture: Two Fat Blokes Bar Signs / SWNS)
‘It quickly became a labour of love for the next four months’ (Picture: Two Fat Blokes Bar Signs / SWNS)
Another very cosy one (Picture: Two Fat Blokes Bar Signs / SWNS)
‘I wanted to create the feel of a traditional country pub’ (Picture: Two Fat Blokes Bar Signs / SWNS)
And Mark Fletcher, who built The Tiger, got the inspiration to do so during lockdown.
He said: ‘Having always been an avid pub attendee, and co-owner of one for over 10 years, Iockdown was a frustrating time, particularly as I had retired in 2019.
‘My wife Tracy saw a post on Facebook of a great pub shed and thought it would be a great idea to keep me occupied.
‘It quickly became a labour of love for the next four months.
‘I ordered a slightly bespoke shed from Timber Building UK and then started to think about the interior design.
‘I wanted to create the feel of a traditional country pub.
‘The name came from the pub I co-owned in Middlesbrough, called The Tiger after the local league football team that played in orange and black stripes and had a tiger’s head as a logo — Grangetown BC.
‘The original Tiger changed its name again in 2020 so it was only fitting that my garden pub became The Tiger.
‘We have had many fantastic nights and look forward to many more.’
More: Lifestyle
It’s thought there could be as many as two million back garden pubs in Britain after their popularity took off over the pandemic and now the cost of living crisis.
As a result, Two Fat Blokes bar signs, Pub Shed Radio and the Facebook group Garden Shed Pubs & Nightclubs decided to run this competition.
The public vote to decide the Pub Shed of the Year top prize will be open for the public to vote on from Friday 14 October.
The vote will be open until 28 October and the winner will be announced live on the aptly named Pub Shed Radio.
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The competition is heating up…