Two spectacular themed Kent shed bars hoping to be named best in the UK
Two backyard bars in Kent that embody quirkiness and creativity are hoping to be named the best in the UK. This year’s International Backyard Bar Awards have seen two pubs from the Garden of England shortlisted among the five UK finalists after hundreds of entries were whittled down by judges.
The awards, presented by home brewing tech experts Pinter, will see the five eccentric UK boozers go head-to-head with five other finalists from the USA to determine one international winner. Proudly representing Kent is The Lionesses Den in Gravesend, a unique pub in a garden shed built in honour of the England Women’s football team.
Originally crafted to host watching parties for the Women’s World Cup in 2023, owner Zoe Bleach worked with friends and family to build this cosy bar. It features a variety of memorabilia, signage and barware dedicated to players such as Lucy Bronze and Mary Earps.
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Impressively, The Lionesses Den also came second in the Shed of the Year contest and won the pub/entertainment category. This is not the only Gravesend backyard bar to make it to the finals of the International Backyard Bar Awards either, with Luker’s Own Junkyard also among the UK finalists.
Set apart by its bold neon junkyard aesthetic, it features striking graffiti and luminous signs alongside a treasure trove of childhood relics from Gordon the Gopher to A.L.F. Hand-built by Tristan Luker, the owner has explained that the bar was largely inspired by his wedding venue.
Tristan said: “Our wedding venue, God’s Own Junkyard in East London inspired us to come up with our own little Retro Neon Junkyard Bar. What else were we going to do in our garden…grow plants?
“We just love the copious neon signs and combined with our love of all things 80’s and 90’s, we feel we have come up with our dream bar. With absolutely no building knowledge and just some average DIYer skills we turned to YouTube to help bring our vision to life.
“From digging our foundations by hand to doing our graffiti, we learnt everything on the job. Over nine months we managed to achieve our little paradise and we are now bursting at the seams with all manner of things from our childhood.”
The other UK entries include Bucko’s Bar in Stockport, Rock Horror Bar, based in the West Midlands, and Siren’s Call in Devon. These will all go up against the five US finalists to determine the international winner in the International Backyard Bar Awards on October 4.
All shortlisted entrants will receive a Pinter prize bundle, while the respective US and UK runners-up will receive a trophy, a Pinter and an Ooni Pizza Oven. Meanwhile, the grand international winner will then receive a $10,000 cash prize plus an ultimate garden swag bundle featuring, an Ooni pizza oven, four Pinter machines alongside merch from breweries like Appalachian Mountain Brewery, Signature Brew and Sycamore Brewery.
Finally, the winner will also be given the opportunity to design, name and brew their own signature beer with Pinter. Ralph Broadbent, co-founder and chief executive of The Greater Good Fresh Brewing Company which makes the Pinter product, said: “Seeing the creativity and passion that people have poured into their backyard bars has been truly inspiring.
“Each space tells its own story, reflecting the personality and ingenuity of its creator. At Pinter, we’re all about bringing people together through incredible beer experiences, and this competition has done exactly that.
“From the Lionesses tribute to tiki havens, every entry has been a celebration of community, craft, and the joy of hosting. We can’t wait to see who will take home the title and, of course, the chance to brew their own beer with Pinter.”
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