Garden DIY man-cave made entirely from recycled materials is Britain’s best Pub Shed of the Year

An incredible back garden boozer made entirely from recycled materials that comes with its own beer garden and dartboard has been crowned Britain’s best Pub Shed of the Year.

John Simmons spent more than a year and constructing the amazing DIY man-cave in his garden in Portsmouth.

It features its own dart board, wooden décor, countryside-pub style seating, a roof covered in fairy lights and even its own outdoor beer garden and decking area.

He built the miniature pub – called The Dog & Ball – from as much reclaimed material he could find from salvage yards and a Facebook page for pub shed enthusiasts.

Mr Simmons has now beat off more than a thousand entries to be named the owner of Britain’s best Pub Shed 2022.

John Simmons, pictured with wife Anita and labradoodle Bertie, spent more than a year and constructing the amazing DIY man-cave made entirely from recycled materials which has been crowned Britain’s best Pub Shed of the Year

It features its own dart board, wooden décor, countryside-pub style seating, a roof covered in fairy lights and even its own outdoor beer garden and decking area

It features its own dart board, wooden décor, countryside-pub style seating, a roof covered in fairy lights and even its own outdoor beer garden and decking area

He built the miniature pub - called The Dog & Ball - from as much reclaimed material he could find from salvage yards and a Facebook page for pub shed enthusiasts

He built the miniature pub – called The Dog & Ball – from as much reclaimed material he could find from salvage yards and a Facebook page for pub shed enthusiasts

Photos of the pub shed show its kitted-out bar with stools, tankards hanging from hooks on the ceiling and a big gold pineapple

Photos of the pub shed show its kitted-out bar with stools, tankards hanging from hooks on the ceiling and a big gold pineapple

There is a table and chairs with a view of the beer garden through an open bar and a TV showing a roaring fire to give a cosy vibe to the pub

There is a table and chairs with a view of the beer garden through an open bar and a TV showing a roaring fire to give a cosy vibe to the pub 

He began constructing The Dog & Ball single-handedly 12 months ago.

Mr Simmons 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.

‘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.

‘With the exception of the main roof joists, every other part of the build is made from reclaim, 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.

‘And the name Dog & Ball, well that’s accolade to our lovely Labradoodle who loves his ball and has made one corner of our new garden pub his new home.’

Mr Simmons said the name - The Dog & Ball - is 'accolade to our lovely Labradoodle who loves his ball and has made one corner of our new garden pub his new home'

Mr Simmons said the name – The Dog & Ball – is ‘accolade to our lovely Labradoodle who loves his ball and has made one corner of our new garden pub his new home’

Mr Simmons began constructing The Dog & Ball single-handedly 12 months ago and it has now beat off more than a thousand entries to be named the owner of Britain's best Pub Shed 2022

Mr Simmons began constructing The Dog & Ball single-handedly 12 months ago and it has now beat off more than a thousand entries to be named the owner of Britain’s best Pub Shed 2022

Mr Simmons is seen pouring a beer into a pint glass in his pub shed The Dog & Ball with gin gobelts pictured hanging upsie down behind him

Mr Simmons is seen pouring a beer into a pint glass in his pub shed The Dog & Ball with gin gobelts pictured hanging upsie down behind him 

The pub even has  a beer garden with a separate outdoor bar ledge to get your beers from during those hot summer months

The pub even has  a beer garden with a separate outdoor bar ledge to get your beers from during those hot summer months

Mr Simmons said that with the exception of the main roof joists, every other part of the build is made from reclaim, re-used or recycled timber and materials

Mr Simmons said that with the exception of the main roof joists, every other part of the build is made from reclaim, re-used or recycled timber and materials

The Dog & Ball beat off two other finalists, a mini countryside-style pub called The Tiger, in Somerset, and The Stagger Inn, in Manchester – a nightclub-themed bar.

They were whittled down from more than a thousand entries – many of which were built during lockdown.

It is believed more than two million back garden pubs are now in operation in Britain after their popularity exploded during the coronavirus pandemic.

They have continued to grow amid a cost of living crisis after the average price of a pint rose to £4 across the UK and £5 in London.

As a result, Two Fat Blokes bar signs, Pub Shed Radio and the Facebook group Garden Shed Pubs & Nightclubs began running the national competition.

The winner was announced live on Pub Shed Radio on Saturday.

Ashley Turner, the owner of Two Fat Blokes Bar Signs, said: ‘The quality of bars and diversity of the entries has been phenomenal.

‘We ran the competition to showcase the amazing community of pub sheds in the UK.

The Dog & Ball beat off two other finalists, a mini countryside-style pub called The Tiger, in Somerset, and The Stagger Inn, in Manchester - a nightclub-themed bar

The Dog & Ball beat off two other finalists, a mini countryside-style pub called The Tiger, in Somerset, and The Stagger Inn, in Manchester – a nightclub-themed bar

A sign in Mr Simmons's pub shed reads: 'It is not licensed to sell ridiculous amounts of intoxicating alcohol but will make sure that you go home legless'

A sign in Mr Simmons’s pub shed reads: ‘It is not licensed to sell ridiculous amounts of intoxicating alcohol but will make sure that you go home legless’

The Dog & Ball along with two other finalists were whittled down from more than a thousand entries - many of which were built during lockdown.

The Dog & Ball along with two other finalists were whittled down from more than a thousand entries – many of which were built during lockdown.

One corner of the bar is the 'new home' for the couple's labradoodle Bertie - who the pub is named after

One corner of the bar is the ‘new home’ for the couple’s labradoodle Bertie – who the pub is named after

‘The community has exploded during the pandemic and now with the cost of a pint heading north of £6 the trend looks set to continue.

‘The Dog & Ball is a perfect example of an amazing pub shed and deserved to win with his amazing hand-built pub.

Tommy Funka, who runs, Pub Shed Radio added: ‘Pub Shed of the year has been a great way for the pub shed community to come together and celebrate the growing army of back garden boozers’.

Pub Shed Radio’s DJ Mupps said: ‘It was brilliant to knock on the door of the winners bar live on Pub Shed Radio.

‘John & Anita were totally gobsmacked to find out they had won. We then went live from the bar broadcasting with a real party atmosphere.’

Nick St John, the owner of Facebook group Garden Shed Pubs and Nightclubs, added: ‘Being involved Pub Shed of the year has been the culmination of our ethos to promote and help people build their own back garden pubs.

‘With over 280,000 members our group has really got on board with the competition.

‘Judging the entries was so difficult – The Dog & Ball is a great example of a proper pub shed.’

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