A couple who spent £25,000 building their own DIY back garden sports bar have been crowned the winner of Britain's best pub shed. Tina, 48, and Rich Hibbs, 57, dedicated several years to creating the backyard boozer at their home in Rugeley, Staffordshire.
Their labour of love, dubbed Bar Hibby's, is adorned with Wolverhampton Wanderers FC memorabilia and features an outdoor play area alongside a beer garden. It also includes a Pac-Man arcade machine, a large screen TV, a fully-stocked bar serving lager and cider on draught as well as traditional pub benches and tables.
Football-themed space beats 1,000 entries
The football-themed space, which measures 20 foot by 10 foot by 10 foot, beat more than 1,000 other entries to be crowned Pub Shed of the Year 2026.
"We were really shocked to win, just gobsmacked, we didn't expect it. When I entered my husband just said: 'What have you gone and done that for?'," said mum-of-two Tina.
"Obviously he believed we'd have no chance of winning. I thought we had just as good a chance as everyone else but with 1,088 entries I knew it was a long shot."
"We were all gathered around in the pub when we heard we'd won on Saturday night - Rich had just got back in from the Wolves game."
"We had some party on Saturday night to celebrate - which is what this place was designed for in the first place. Our friends love it, I'm not sure about our neighbours but we've not had any complaints. The shed does get more attention than the house."
Project began in 2018
Tina and Rich embarked on their ambitious project with help from a close friend back in 2018, watching it gradually transform into the magnificent structure it is today. Originally built as a retreat where Rich, a retired skip company owner, could unwind and follow his beloved Wolves, the space has grown far beyond its initial purpose.
Tina explained: "It was initially a bolthole for hubby to escape and watch the football in peace and to display his vast collection of Wolves memorabilia."
"We also wanted a place where the family could all get together and a safe place for the kids to play outside. After the shell was built we've slowly added to it over the years."
"We have a friend who runs a business making these, so he helped out with the shell while the interior was all done by us. I dread to think what we've spent over the years. It cost £20,000 to build and we've probably spent another £5,000-£10,000 on it."
Bar hosts family gatherings
"We've got a barbecue area, an outdoor play area, a Pac-Man machine inside, a fully-stocked bar with two Blade taps as well as all the Wolves memorabilia including signed shirts."
"One of the tables were donated by our local pub but everything else has been made to order or bought. The bar has since evolved into the perfect place to cater for large occasions for both family and friends."
She continued: "It has become a great space for entertaining. Every Easter we do an egg hunt and we decorate it all up for Halloween. We also have our Christmas dinner in there, I usually cater for about 15 people each year."
"With two daughters and five grandchildren it is the perfect place to host birthday parties and special occasions, with the play area a particular favourite with the young ones."
"The fridge is always full, and with a vast selection of spirits and two Blade beer machines ensuring cold refreshments are always on tap."
"Purposely there is no clock or traditional bell available as the bar is always open to family and friends."
Competition organisers praise winner
The annual competition, run by Two Fat Blokes Bar Signs and Ngage Radio, invites beer-loving 'sheddies' to submit their converted drinking dens for the coveted Pub Shed of The Year title.
Ashley Turner, CEO of Twofb.com, said: "We started Pub Shed of the Year because we genuinely love what we do."
"Seeing photos of our signs hanging in gardens, sheds, and man caves from Manchester to Melbourne gave us the idea to run the competition to recognise the best of the best in the pub shed and man cave world."
"Hibby's Bar is a worthy winner of this year's competition."
Danny Drayton, CEO of Ngage Radio, added: "We've been part of the pub shed community for many years, every year we work with the guys at Two Fat Blokes to run the competition."
"The quality of entries just gets better and better."
