UK couple transform shed into garden pub in just four weeks ready for European Championship

A couple has shared how they transformed a shed into a fully-fledged traditional pub in just four weeks – after struggling with mental health issues throughout lockdown.

A couple has shared how they transformed a shed into a fully-fledged traditional pub in just four weeks – after struggling with mental health issues throughout lockdown.

Russell Adey, 52, and wife Kate, 44, from Stourbridge, West Midlands, were regulars at their local pub before lockdown, going several times a week with friends.

But after nearly a year of lockdowns, the couple were missing their regular drinking hole and wanted a project to focus on to distract from mental health struggles.

Russell set about pulling up part of the lawn at the bottom of their garden and laid slabs ready for a structure to be erected.

They then purchased a £2,500 summer house – which they liken to a “big shed” – and it was delivered, then put up, in mid-March 2021.

A local electrician came to install the electrics before the couple started the decorating process, hanging wallpaper and sourcing second-hand furniture.

The bar, table, benches and log burner were made by a local carpenter, and the couple found the fridges, beer pumps and soft furnishings on eBay and Facebook Marketplace.

No pub would be complete without its own merchandise, so they also ordered a sign for the door and personalised beer mats – all emblazoned with "The Adey Arms." For extra fun, they added a projector and big screen for movie nights and football matches.

The pub is family-friendly, with a table area for their children, Archie, 11, and nine-year-old Tilly.

In total, the couple spent £5,000 and the pub was finished in mid-April, taking just four weeks to complete.

“We soon started missing the pub when lockdown started, and with home-schooling the kids my wife was desperate for one,” Russell, who works as a sales manager, said.

“Me and Kate were really suffering with our mental health during lockdown and decided we needed a project of some sort to focus our energies on, that would be fun to do and could be a lasting reminder of how important our friends and family are to us.

“The fact we weren’t able to see them all had really hit home to us, so we decided to build our own pub." Russell added: “We were adamant that we wanted to buy local and source everything from local businesses, or recycle by buying second-hand things – which would keep the cost down as well.

“Businesses had suffered so much with the pandemic so we wanted to give something back and try and do our bit for the local community.” Russell continued: “We can’t wait to invite people round to enjoy it with us as soon as restrictions are lifted.

“We are dying to create new, happy memories with loved ones as that is what it was built for.

We want to share it with all our friends and family, to have something good come out of the worst of times.

“We’re really hoping for the restrictions to be lifted in time for the Euro's football tournament so that we can invite friends round to watch it with us in the pub.”