How to Create the Ultimate Garden Bar in a British Shed
A shed pub is the most British home improvement there is. You do not need planning permission, a builder or a huge budget - you need a counter at the right height, light that is not a bare bulb, and somewhere for people to put a glass down.
The mistakes are always the same: too much furniture, not enough surface, and a bar that only works in July. Solve damp, light and seating first and the rest is styling.
Honest note: we design and print our cards, badges, prints and party decorations in the UK. The cocktail machine is a recommendation from elsewhere.
Shop the cards that go with these
Party decorations and prints, designed by us
Bunting, party decorations, pin badges and prints drawn in house and printed in the UK.
Getting the bones right
- Counter height is 105-110cm. Anything lower feels like a desk and people will not lean on it.
- Leave at least 60cm of clear counter for glasses - a bar covered in bottles has nowhere to stand a drink.
- Line the shed walls with insulation board before cladding, or it is unusable from October.
- Run one proper armoured cable from the house rather than a daisy chain of extension leads.
- A rubber-backed outdoor rug stops the floor sounding like a shed.
Drinks without a bartender
- An automatic cocktail making machine on the back counter. An automatic cocktail making machine mixes a measured drink at the push of a button, so nobody has to stand behind a table with a jigger all night. It takes up about the same worktop space as a kettle and means guests can serve themselves while the host actually talks to people.
- One cool box under the bar for beer, one for mixers. Ice in a third or it all goes warm.
- A house cocktail, a house beer and one soft option. Three choices, no menu paralysis.
- Glassware that survives being dropped on a slab floor.
- A bottle opener screwed to the counter so it stops disappearing.
Lighting and atmosphere
- Warm festoon bulbs outside, dimmable warm light inside. Never white LED strip.
- A neon-style sign behind the bar gives it a focal point in photos.
- Candles on the outdoor table for the shoulder months - Shop the range
- A framed print or two behind the optics - Shop the range
- Bunting and paper decorations for party nights - Shop the range
Naming and branding the place
- Name it after the street, the dog or the family. Two words, easy to shout.
- A hand-painted sign above the door costs very little and does most of the work.
- Pin badges for the regulars - Shop the range
- A chalkboard for tonight's drink keeps it feeling like a pub rather than a shed.
- A guest book on the counter. People write better things than you expect.
Keeping it usable all year
- A patio heater or a small electric panel heater beats trying to heat a shed with a fan heater.
- Silicone round the window frames before the first wet autumn.
- Store the good glassware indoors over winter - frost and glass do not mix.
- A doormat and a hook for coats stops the inside getting wrecked.
- Lock the drinks away if the shed is at the bottom of the garden.
Opening night
- Invite eight people, not twenty. A shed bar is intimate by design.
- One playlist, three hours long, made in advance.
- Crisps in bowls on the counter, proper food inside the house.
- A card for whoever helped you build it - Shop the range
- Summer garden party ideas - Read the guide
Found your words? Now find the card
How to write it so it lands
- Counter at 105-110cm or nobody leans on it.
- Leave clear surface for glasses.
- Warm light only - never white strip LED.
You might also be interested in...
We make cards, pin badges, prints and party bits in house. These are from other shops we rate, and buying through the link costs you nothing extra.
Cocktail Making Machine - Automatic Mixology Home Bar Cocktails Mixing Maker
£299
View Cocktail Making Machine - Automatic Mixology Home Bar Cocktails Mixing Maker
Drinks Cabinet for Living Room, Black Bar Cabinet with 2 Drawers
View Drinks Cabinet for Living Room, Black Bar Cabinet with 2 Drawers
Where to shop next
- Party items
- Greetings cards
- Pin badges
- Funny wall art
- Scented soy candles
- Eurovision party ideas
- 40th birthday party ideas at home
- Christmas drinks party ideas
- Summer garden party ideas
- How to host a murder mystery dinner party
- 40th birthday party ideas
- 40th birthday party games
- Dinner party games for adults
- Alternative New Year's Eve ideas
- How to run a pub quiz at home
- Planning the party? Birthday party ideas
- How to make a balloon arch
- Photo booth prop ideas
- Pin badges
- All guides
Frequently asked questions
Do you need planning permission for a garden bar in the UK?
Usually not if you are converting an existing shed and it stays under 2.5m high near a boundary, is single storey and is not used as living accommodation. Check with your local council if you are building something new or you live in a conservation area.
How much does a shed bar cost to set up?
If the shed already exists, most people spend GBP 200-600 on insulation, cladding, lighting, a counter and seating. A new shed adds GBP 400-1,200 on top.
What is the best way to serve drinks in a garden bar?
Keep it self-service. An automatic cocktail machine, a cool box of beer and one soft option covers almost every guest without anyone being stuck behind the bar all evening.
How do you stop a garden bar getting damp?
Insulate and line the walls, seal round the windows, keep a gap between the floor and the ground, and ventilate it when it is not in use. Damp ruins upholstery and cardboard coasters faster than anything else.
Do you sell the cocktail machine yourselves?
No. We design and print greetings cards, enamel pin badges, prints, candles and party decorations in the UK. The automatic cocktail maker is a recommendation from elsewhere - only the things linked to our own shop are ours.