Couple believe home pub is best bar none

Garden project is now in the running to scoop a national competition prize

A Fife couple are enjoying the fruits of their lockdown labour – and could well have Britain’s best home bar into the bargain.

Mike Braid and Laura Harmes, from Kirkcaldy, have entered a national competition run by games retailer Liberty Games which aims to find the best bars and pubs installed in people’s own homes and gardens.

While many have tried to recreate the atmosphere of the pub using backgrounds on video call platforms Zoom, Teams and Houseparty, Mike and Laura decided to take things a step further by having the real thing.

The pair are now in the running to not only win the title of Britain’s Best Home Bar, but could also scoop a year’s supply of beer if they come out on top.

Laura said: “We had spoken about building a bar in our back garden for well over a year but wasn’t until October 2019 that Mike and his 75-year-old dad Bill made a start on it.

“Unfortunately, due to our typical Scottish winter weather, they got the framework in place but had to put it on hold until the spring. Fortunately – or unfortunately, depends on how you look at it – lockdown kicked in and while I continued my job as a nurse Mike was at home and with the better weather he was able to crack on with it.

“Mike always had an image in his head of how he wanted it to look but the finished bar exceeds everything we had originally anticipated and more.”

The couple have named their bar The Glitterbox in tribute to an Ibiza club they love, and photographs of their creation have had thousands of likes all over the world on social media.

“Thankfully due to the recent run of nice weather, Mike and I have enjoyed many a nice afternoon and evening at ‘The Glitterbox’ enjoying a few beers and cocktails,” she added.

“Unfortunately, due to lockdown rules we have been unable to have everyone round as yet but managed to have a few family and friends round at staggered time slots and socially distanced for Mike’s 50th birthday weekend.

“We can’t wait for the day we can eventually have family and friends here together to enjoy it – many a good time is ahead.”

The finished bar exceeds everything we had originally anticipated. LAURA HARMES

Laura Harmes and Mike Braid with their homemade bar in Kirkcaldy, and competition from Ashley Edwards in Bedford, below, and Emma Sharpe in Northampton.