Western Morning News (Saturday)
Pint-sized bar a winner in garden shed contest
ACHIEF Engineer in The Royal Navy has triumphed in the Cuprinol Shed of the Year 2021 competition with a hidden ‘pop-up’ pub he built in his garden.
John ‘Bungy’ Williams has topped the Unexpected/Unique category with Bungy’s Backyard Bar, which was built with help from his son Kane, 23, also a Navy Engineer, and daughter Gabby, 19.
A keen DIY-er, 46-year-old John, from Plymouth, crafted his bar from a shed he discovered online for free.
“It’s got a footprint of less than 2x1 metres,” he said. “I wanted it to be unassuming when you walked past it, but then it would open up like a pop-up book and extend from the side with the dart board.”
John, who has been in the Navy for 30 years and travelled to Yemen, Hong Kong, Antarctica and Cyprus, where he was stationed for three years, says he is “chuffed to bits” with the win.
“I didn’t expect to win,” he says. “There were some really good sheds in my category, but I’m really chuffed to win it.
“The shed means a lot to me, I love nothing more than propping up the bar enjoying a beer or two with friends.”
Bungy’s Backyard Bar has been put to good use this summer, with it acting as a social hub for John’s friends and family. “In the summer months, I’m out there every weekend with people or family round having a drink,” he says.
“I built a large decking area and I’m lead singer of a rock band called Two Cards Short, so for our next event we’re going to do a little gig on that and use the bar.”
John was crowned the winner of the Unexpected/Unique category following a public vote.
The overall winner of this year’s competition is Danielle Zarb-Cousin, from Southend-on-Sea, Essex. She built her 70s-inspired Creme De Menthe bar in the back garden of her parent’s house after splitting from her fiance – Love Island’s Jonny Mitchell.
Head judge and founder of the competition Andrew Wilcox said: “We have been blown away by the creativity, passion and dedication on display from sheddies across the country. The amount of care and attention people have devoted to their sheds this year is inspiring.
“Entrants have made full use of their sheds, demonstrating how versatile and multi-purpose they can be. Whether they’ve built a pub or bar, a place to socialise, a business or just a space to relax, there seems to be no limit to what
In the summer months, I’m out there every weekend with people or family round having a drink JOHN WILLIAMS
they can achieve. As we emerge from the pandemic and lockdown restrictions, gardens are places where friends and family can gather and reunite, so it’s wonderful to see sheds play a key role in this.”
Kirsty Woodbine, marketing manager for Cuprinol, added: “The sheer ingenuity demonstrated by this year’s Cuprinol Shed of the Year winners is unrivalled in the competition’s 15-year history.
“At Cuprinol we’re committed to inspiring people to find creative ways to transform their outdoor spaces, whether it’s a vibrant lick of paint on a brand new summerhouse or handcrafting impressive structures from recycled materials. We are truly amazed and delighted by the creations we’ve seen.”