Garage pub created in lockdown
ADETACHED garage has been converted into an authentic pub to help a family come together in lockdown.
Widnes mum Lisa Bivon, together with her husband and two boys, have worked hard to renovate their garage into the newly named The Staying Inn pub.
The 42-year-old has posted pictures showcasing her incredible transformation work.
The old garage was ‘piled to the roof with junk’ but now it is a sleek and cosy, traditional pub complete with wall panelling and wooden ceiling beams.
Asked why she decided to spend so much money on creating a pub in her own garden, Lisa said: “When lockdown came we had the whole garden renovated with fake grass and a hot tub.
“But because nobody was going out we decided to convert the garage into a bit of a bar.
“A lot of friends come to ours anyway because we’ve got quite a big house and garden, and we have barbecues and things.”
The pub - which is due to be finished early next week – has taken several weeks to complete at a cost of an eye-watering £10,000 with few expenses spared in its construction.
Lisa said: “We’ve had all the panelling put in and a proper bar put in.
“We’re now just waiting for the furniture to arrive and a few bits and bobs for the bar itself.
“We went with the rustic feel, but with a bit of modern, so we haven’t gone for dark oaky wood stuff, we’ve gone for a bit of colour with the blue bar.
“The ceiling beams have been put in to give it that country style, rustic look.
“I’ve also gone a bit high-end with the furniture, to be honest.”
There will be an official grand opening of the bar, Lisa said, on August 22, ‘lockdown permitting’ and plenty of occasions coming up for the family to make use of their new bar.
She said: “We’ve pretty much done it for our own benefit or anyone who comes over.
“Any functions that come up we’ll have it here. I’ve got my little boy’s holy communion coming up so we’ll have that here.
“My mum’s 70 in November as well so we’re planning on having a party.”
As well as a pub conversion being a creative new use for a garage that was just being used to store rubbish, Lisa said that it’s also a fitting project in memory of her dad.
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She added: “We decided on the name The Staying Inn, but we originally wanted to call it Billy’s Bar after my dad who’s no longer here.
“He was a temporary landlord and a real pub man so the bar is still going to be called Billy’s Bar at the back.”