United Nations of Beer

The Pub shed – a back garden drinking haven

by John Coupe
(United Kingdom)

The Pub shed – a back garden drinking haven
By John Coupe, Secrets-of-Shed-Building.com
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The traditional British Pub is under threat. According to the British Beer & Pub Association (BBPA) in the first six months of 2010 an average of 39 pubs were closing each week. That is just short of 2,000 in a year.

However the institution of the British Pub is having a rebirth at the bottom of many pub goers gardens in the form of a Pub shed.

What is a Pub Shed?

The Pub shed most likely started off with a cleaned out garden shed, a couple of deck chairs and a can or two of beer on a warm summer evening. However it has evolved far beyond that in to a totally different animal altogether.

Many owners of pub sheds have running water and electricity along with all the fittings that you would expect in a licensed hostelry. A selection of beers on tap, a well stocked bar with a range of spirits and all the comforts of a traditional pub. Some go for the upholstered look of a others go for a more modern decor.

Whatever the look of the place the intention is to create a haven at the bottom of the garden where you can invite a few friends around for the evening and entertain them in a cosy relaxing environment. You may be wondering how an idea such as this gained popularity.

Uncle Wilco was one of the first to spot the trend of the pub shed

Uncle Wilco’s website readersheds.co.uk documents a wide range of garden structures and pub sheds quickly appeared as part of the mix. As an avid beer drinker this type of shed caught Uncle Wilco's eye and when he started National Shed Week in 2007 there was a category for pub sheds.

Unfortunately a Roman temple shed won the competition that first year. But the second year the winner was the Rugby shed , it was Octagonal in shape and a fine example of a pub shed.

Built from scratch by its owner Tim, a solicitor, the rugby pub is a place to relax away from the phone and the busyness of the modern house and to get a some friends around for a few beers. You may be wondering what is driving this increase in the popularity of garden drinking.

The reasons for the rise of the pub shed are many

The increasing price of alcohol in bars and restaurants is one factor for people drinking at home, along with the increasing acceptance of the drink driving laws. Another factor that is driving the pub shed is the invasiveness of technology in the home.

The ubiquity of the telephone and computer all mean that having a retreat away from the house is increasingly attractive. You might be wondering about building a pub shed in your garden.

Building a pub shed

The same sort of things apply when building a pub shed as building any shed. You need to consider the local planning regulations and your neighbours.

In the UK there are no specific regulations covering converting a garden building in to a pub shed as long as it is not a commercial enterprise involving the selling of alcohol.

In terms of the mechanics of building a shed there are several websites to consider. There are a range of options from building a shed from scratch using materials purchased from a local timber merchant or you might want to purchase a ready made shed. There are many manufacturers of sheds so reading a few shed reviews would be a good move before you go ahead and buy.

In my view an important factor when building your pub shed is how big you build it and whether you intend to use it year round. If you are going to have guests around the shed should be at least 8' x 8' and have some opening patio doors so that in the summer you can enjoy the outdoors and spill out on to the patio.

By spending a bit more and getting better quality doors and windows and insulating the shed it can be used year round, rather than just in the summer months.

How do I fit out my pub shed?

Fitting out a pub shed is really getting into the realms of personal taste. I would recommend that you start simple and then see where you end up. With 2,000 pubs closing per year in the UK there are obviously a few salvaged pub fittings going spare. A good start is to have electricity installed and a fridge.

You may want to go for running water too but this also means that you will need to consider drainage. The sky is the limit really when you are considering how best to create a convivial atmosphere.

The pub shed offers a great way to entertain your friends

With the drinks direct from your own supply, closing time under your own control and no drink driving to worry about the future of pub sheds looks rosy.

Go on... build a pub shed and help to protect this threatened species and preserve a slice of Merry Old Englande.