Portsmouth Royal Navy veteran and pub shed guru reveals how to make your own backyard boozer

By Freddie Webb
Published 29th Dec 2022, 06:00 BST
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An AWARD-WINNING pub shed maker and Royal Navy veteran has revealed creating your own boozer is easier than you think.

John Simmons, 50, created The Dog & Ball in his back garden in Horndean – starting the construction last year. The pub shed, featuring its own dart board, wooden décor, countryside-pub style seating, a roof covered in fairy lights and outdoor beer garden – with a decking area – was crowned as Britain’s Pub Shed of the Year on November 12.

SEE ALSO: Portsmouth Royal Navy veteran 'chuffed to bits' as DIY man-cave crowned Britain's best pub shed

Even though the pub shed has been critically acclaimed for its glamour and features, Mr Simmons, of Portsmouth, said his project was completed from inexpensive second-hand materials. He added he utilised second hand materials and sought help from other enthusiasts on Facebook.

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John Simmons at his pub shed called The Dog & Ball in Horndean, Hampshire.John Simmons at his pub shed called The Dog & Ball in Horndean, Hampshire.
John Simmons at his pub shed called The Dog & Ball in Horndean, Hampshire.

Mr Simmons said: ‘It cost about four figures, which is much cheaper than it would have been had I done a proper build and had to go to shops for the materials. Doing it all from salvage was of course a challenge — thank goodness for FB marketplace, advice from the fantastic members of the GSPN UK Facebook page and a very understanding wife who I dragged around local reclaim yards sifting through old timbers.

‘With the exception of the main roof joists, every other part of the build is made from reclaim, re-used or recycled timber and materials. Each piece has a different story, from the bar ironmongery that belonged to my late father-in-law from his days as an RAF engineer, to the main oak upright timbers.’

SEE ALSO: Fareham College bricklayer named as one of the best in the country at skills competition

The pub shed phenomenon has continued to grow, with their popularity exploding during the pandemic. It is believed there are two million back garden pubs operating in the UK.

John Simmons with dog Bertie at his pub shed called The Dog & Ball in Horndean, Hampshire. An incredible back garden boozer made entirely from recycled materials has been crowned Britain's best Pub Shed of the Year. See SWNS story SWMRshed. John Simmons, spent more than a year constructing the amazing DIY man-cave in his garden in Portsmouth, Hamps. It features its own dart board, wooden décor, countryside-pub style seating, a roof covered in fairy lights and even its own outdoor beer garden and decking area. He built the miniature pub- called The Dog & Ball - from as much reclaimed material he could find from salvage yards and a Facebook page for pub shed enthusiasts. John has now beat off more than a thousand entries to be named the owner of Britain's best Pub Shed 2022. :John Simmons, 50, of Portsmouth, has been crowned the owner of Britain's best pub shed. Picture: SWNS.John Simmons with dog Bertie at his pub shed called The Dog & Ball in Horndean, Hampshire. An incredible back garden boozer made entirely from recycled materials has been crowned Britain's best Pub Shed of the Year. See SWNS story SWMRshed. John Simmons, spent more than a year constructing the amazing DIY man-cave in his garden in Portsmouth, Hamps. It features its own dart board, wooden décor, countryside-pub style seating, a roof covered in fairy lights and even its own outdoor beer garden and decking area. He built the miniature pub- called The Dog & Ball - from as much reclaimed material he could find from salvage yards and a Facebook page for pub shed enthusiasts. John has now beat off more than a thousand entries to be named the owner of Britain's best Pub Shed 2022. :John Simmons, 50, of Portsmouth, has been crowned the owner of Britain's best pub shed. Picture: SWNS.
John Simmons with dog Bertie at his pub shed called The Dog & Ball in Horndean, Hampshire. An incredible back garden boozer made entirely from recycled materials has been crowned Britain's best Pub Shed of the Year. See SWNS story SWMRshed. John Simmons, spent more than a year constructing the amazing DIY man-cave in his garden in Portsmouth, Hamps. It features its own dart board, wooden décor, countryside-pub style seating, a roof covered in fairy lights and even its own outdoor beer garden and decking area. He built the miniature pub- called The Dog & Ball - from as much reclaimed material he could find from salvage yards and a Facebook page for pub shed enthusiasts. John has now beat off more than a thousand entries to be named the owner of Britain's best Pub Shed 2022. :John Simmons, 50, of Portsmouth, has been crowned the owner of Britain's best pub shed. Picture: SWNS.

Numbers have continued to rise amid the cost-of-living crisis, after the average cost of a pint rose to £4 in the UK and £5 in London. Mr Simmons, who spent 22 years in the Navy, enjoys The Dog & Ball with his wife Anita, 49, Libby, 23, Jacob, 19, and Evie, 12, and Labradoodle Berties.

He added: ‘I took the name from my Labradoodle Bertie who just loves to play with his ball, I really wanted him to be part of it all.’

Related topics:HorndeanBritainFacebook