Bishop Auckland shed named one of Britain's best garden pubs

Shaun O’Sullivan spent hours and hours under a tarpaulin at night, with a couple of lagers for inspiration, planning his shed bar.

The father-of-three had a vision of how to turn the neglected summerhouse at his home, near Bishop Auckland, into a place where family and friends could socialise.

And all the preparations and labour he put into it proved to be worth it, after his creation was runner-up in a national competition to find Britain’s best garden pub.

Shaun O’Sullivans shed came runner up in the Shed of the Year competition he is pictured with his wife, Alison, and their children Orla, one, Jaxon, three, and Colby, five Picture: SARAH CALDECOTT

The 43-year-old said: “My wife, Alison, wasn’t dead keen on the idea at first but I talked her into it and now we all love it.

“I would go out there and sit under a tarpaulin on a night, with a couple of cans of lager, and plan it all out.

“I finished it slightly before lockdown but it has just kept evolving, from a summerhouse we hardly used into a place we all enjoy.

“I’ve built everything from scratch and put in loads of features to get it how I want.

"We use it as a family, I go out there with my mates and Alison with hers to catch-up and relax.

"It’s great, I just love it.”

Shaun O’Sullivans shed came runner up in the Shed of the Year competition Picture: SARAH CALDECOTT

Shaun O’Sullivans shed came runner up in the Shed of the Year competition Picture: SARAH CALDECOTT

O’Sullivan's is fitted out with a bar, fridge and optics, high stools and comfortable wrap-round seating, a log-burner, feature walls, clever storage, a hatch which converts into an outdoor bar in the summer, a dart board and even a cellar.

But there is one addition Mr O’Sullivan, who runs SOS Landscapes, has not been tempted to make.

He said: “I’ve never wanted a TV in there, we can listen to music and I’ve got an app on the phone to change the light settings and colour but I never wanted people to come round and end up staring at a screen.

“It feels like you’re really out when you’re in there, we’ve even had bar meals in the shed.”

Shaun O’Sullivans shed came runner up in the Shed of the Year competition he is pictured with his family Alison, Orla 1, Jaxon 3 and Colby 5 Picture: SARAH CALDECOTT

Mr O’Sullivan, and his family, were proud to pick up a highly-commended award in the Garden Pub of the Year 2021 contest.

Pub Shed Radio and Two Fat Blokes bar signs launched the competition after seeing thousands of people build their own back garden pubs during the Covid-19 pandemic.

He said: “There are loads of pub shed groups on Facebook, I put some pictures up and entered the competition and ended up with thousands and thousands of likes and hundreds of messages.

“I’m really pleased with it, I really think it is the best room in the house.”

Shaun O’Sullivans shed came runner up in the Shed of the Year competition Picture: SARAH CALDECOTT

Shaun O’Sullivans shed came runner up in the Shed of the Year competition Picture: SARAH CALDECOTT

Shaun O’Sullivans shed came runner up in the Shed of the Year competition Picture: SARAH CALDECOTT

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