You’d be forgiven for thinking that the location in the photo above is an actual pub. It’s not.
The backyard boozer is actually a garden shed which has been transformed into the ultimate ‘man cave’ and is in the running for Britain’s Best Pub Shed of the Year 2024.
Three DIY pubs have made it to the finals of the competition, after more than 1,000 people applied for a chance to win.
The final three mini bars include the Shaun of the Dead-inspired The Winchester in Eastleigh, Hampshire, which features all the essentials — an ornate bar, poker table, and dart board.
Kev Marchant began building it in October 2022 and found the perfect materials thanks to contacts in the construction industry.
The whole thing came together pretty quickly, with Kev and his wife Gina completing it within a month, working on it most days.
The finished product has an old school traditional look which harkens back to Kev’s younger years spent in pubs with his friends.
When it comes to the pub’s name, The Winchester was an obvious choice as the couple are both originally from Winchester. And as the pub was created during the pandemic, the pair were also partly inspired by Shaun of the Dead, which features a pub of the same name, and a rather different kind of pandemic.
‘It’s the best thing we did,’ Kev says. ‘We’ve held ours and friend’s birthday parties, also some fun poker nights and it’s a very cheap taxi ride home.’
Next up there’s The Adelaide in South Benfleet, Essex, complete with big screen TV for sports matches and furniture from actual pubs that have since closed down.
The pub’s ‘landlord’ Terence Rogers already had an outside bar at home, but was keen to add something he could use all year long, no matter the weather.
As well as a space for drinks, Terence also hosts regular quiz and game nights with friends and family in the shed, and it’s also become a ‘meeting hub’ for people on their street to enjoy music or watch major events.
And last but not least is The Rob Inn. Located in Ascot in Berkshire, this garden pub was built by Robin Arkwright and has a ‘cosy’ rustic vibe with wooden panels and log burner.
The pub’s name has a very touching story behind it, as the owner explains: ‘I always struggled with a name, and then one morning standing in the garden, a robin landed just metres from my feet.
‘It was always my late dad’s favourite bird, and some say a “sign of loved ones coming to visit”. With my name being Rob, it was sorted. The “Rob-Inn” was born.’
The winner of the competition will be crowned on August 17 as part of the competition run by twofatblokes.co.uk.
Ashley Turner, from Two Fat Blokes Bar Sign Emporium, said: ‘With the average cost of a pint now over £4.94 across the UK & over £5.59 in London, it’s no surprise that Britons are looking for ways to save on the cost of their entertainment.
‘By having your own garden pub, gin palace or garden bar you save on the cost of the booze with a pint from the local supermarket from only £1.35 a can it’s easy to see how much is saved by having your favourite tipple at home, then there’s no expensive taxis or waiting at a bus stop.’
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