Your own pub at the bottom of the garden. A proper insulated bar with room for stools, a fridge and a dartboard
A pub shed is exactly what it sounds like, your own little pub at the bottom of the garden. Part bar, part bolthole, it is the build a great many people daydream about. Somewhere to pull up a stool, pour a proper pint and watch the match without leaving home.
A pub shed is really an insulated garden room kitted out as a bar. The shell is a solid timber building with power and lighting, and the magic is in the fit out: a bar to lean on, a fridge or a cellar cooler, a few stools, and whatever theme takes your fancy.
The pub shed took off as good locals got thinner on the ground and people fancied a place of their own. Build it once and you have the only bar in town with no last orders and a very short walk home.
Choose a pub shed when you want:
A pub shed is the build people show off the most. Get the shell and the power right, and the fit out is the fun part.
| Use Case | Recommended Size | Floor Area |
|---|---|---|
| Cosy two-stool bar | 2400mm x 2400mm | 5.76 m² |
| Proper pub shed for a few mates | 4000mm x 3000mm | 12.00 m² |
| Bar, seating and a games area | 5000mm x 4000mm | 20.00 m² |
A pub shed is a heavy, well used building, so give it a proper base. A concrete slab is the safest bet, or a sturdy bearer and joist platform on level, well drained ground.
Frame it in 47x100mm studs at 400mm centres so the walls are strong and take insulation neatly. Work out where the bar, fridge and telly are going before you line the walls, then add noggins for solid fixings.
A pitched apex roof gives good headroom over the bar. Torch-on felt or EPDM lasts for years, and a generous overhang keeps the weather off the cladding and the doorway.
Have a qualified electrician install the power, with sockets planned for the fridge, pumps, telly and lights. Insulate the walls, floor and roof, allow for a bit of heating in winter, and do not forget ventilation once the room is full of people.
4.0m x 3.0m
Room for a corner bar, three or four stools, a fridge and a wall mounted telly. Insulated and wired, it works just as well in January as it does in July.
In most cases, garden sheds are permitted development and don't require planning permission. However, restrictions apply: the shed must be single storey with maximum eaves height of 2.5m, maximum overall height of 4m (for dual-pitched roofs) or 3m (for any other roof), and must not cover more than 50% of the curtilage. Sheds must not be forward of the principal elevation. Listed buildings and conservation areas have additional restrictions. Always check with your local planning authority if in doubt.
Options include concrete slabs, paving slabs, pressure-treated bearer and joist systems, or adjustable post supports. Concrete provides the most stable base for larger sheds, while bearer systems are quick to install and allow airflow beneath the floor. The key requirements are: level, stable, and dry with adequate drainage around the perimeter.
A well-built and maintained shed can last 15-25+ years. Key factors are: quality of original construction, adequacy of foundations, quality of timber treatment, regular maintenance (retreating cladding, checking for rot), and roof condition. Budget sheds with minimal maintenance may only last 5-10 years.
Ideally, treat all surfaces before assembly - this ensures hidden faces are protected. Pay special attention to cut ends, which are most vulnerable to moisture. After construction, apply treatment to all accessible exterior surfaces annually or as the product recommends.
A pub shed is usually permitted development if it stays within the outbuilding size and height limits and is not used as living accommodation. Selling alcohol or charging people to drink would be a different matter and could need a licence. If you are wiring it and using it a lot, check the limits and the Building Regulations position with your local authority first. Our shed planning permission guide covers the detail.
Yes. Most home pub sheds run a bar fridge or an under counter cooler and either bottled beer or a small keg with a pump or font. It all needs power, so have an electrician fit proper sockets and circuits rather than running a permanent extension lead.
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