mandy and smudge are the joyous owners of the Pub Shed Forge and Flagon and here are their answers.

Sheddies name
Mandy and smudge

Shed name
Forge and Flagon

Selfbuild or off the shelf shed?

The Forge and Flagon started off it’s day as an old 1950’s garage, storage space and a chicken shed. It was reborn in 2005 as a pub shed, it took 4 weeks to complete and cost in total over the past 2 years £200.

Why have you got a shed?

The Forge and Flagon Pubshed is one of the most happening music havens in the Midlands. We have just finished recording 4 one hour radio shows, called ‘LIVE AT THE FORGE’. The show was sponsored by ADSA Collegue Circle and we also included Beer ads for our local Bells Brewery, who very kindly in return provided the beer for all of the singers and musicians. The musicians and singers that performed in the Forge are our regulars who have been playing on the professional music scene for many many numbers of years, playing with and alongside, Dr Feelgood, Nine Below Zero, Real Thing, Ben E King, Rose Royce, Dirty Robbers, Razors, Shalamar, Woodstock and not forgetting Johny Pugh and Streetwise. We are so honoured to have had you all down here thanks a million guys.

Best job in the world being LANDLADY OF THE FORGE.

How would you describe your shed?

The Forge and Flagon is best described as a 1940’s pub with old genuine pub memorabilia. We have a piano, 2 large pub tables, Old working fireplace for those summer evenings!!!. Large bar complete with genuine pub stools and pumps, a stuffed moose called ‘BERNARD’ who watches over everyone at the bar and a host of musical instuments including a washboard. The Forge and Flagon has been widely sort after by the press but so far so good it has been hidden well, especially after the Radio Show. The Forge regulars are sworn to secrecy as to where it is,this helps the magic of the Forge to live on.

Who are your shed inspirations?

My mother in law and father in law, ran the George and Dragon in Broughton Astley for 15 years, this is where Smudge grew up, hence the Forge and Flagon being named after the George and Dragon. We were left a box of brasses after they passed away, so this was the inspiration of the pub shed. They are behind our bar in the SPIRITS they would have ben so proud.

Future Shed plans

We will be recording again soon and plan to release an album from the Forge featuring all of the singers and musicians, called ‘Live and Half Cut’. We have recently extended the front of the Forge by 4 foot by opening the original doors and adding a roof and a front, you can see the before and after photos on our pubshed photos.

How did you find out about our community?

We were curious when we had completed the Forge and Flagon to see if there were any other odd people like ourselves who make pubs out of their sheds and wow were we suprised, we have kept in touch with a lot of the other pubshed landlords and landladys, there is a great sense of pub community between us all, you only have to read all of the comments made to all of the sheds to see that, I am really proud to be part of the Pub shed category, and so are all of my regulars, we have a lot of followers that look at readersheds.

What word would you use to sum up Sheds

Our Magical Music Haven

>If any other sheddies would like to be featured in this Spot, the fill out this Q & A Form and I will get back you!

Shed of the year has been announced. Welcome Sheddie, this blog is about sheds! You can share your shed, or view other people's sheds. If you're new here, you may want to subscribe to our RSS feed.

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We are running a shedpoll (right hand side of the blog) to see what sort of shed you are going to get next, we have not had many votes but currently people want to get a pub shed.

This is probably down to one of two things

1) They love the Shed of the Year winner, Tim’s Rugby Shed

2) They just want to get merry at the end of the garden.

So what is it you sheddies.

If you have a shedpub, what sort of Drink/snacks/games do you have in your shed?

BTW you can view all the pub sheds we have on the site here.

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This is grimbsy reports

A Cleethorpes couple’s bar in their back garden, the Beach Hut, will be investigated by officials.

Following the Grimsby Telegraph story featured in yesterday’s paper, North East Lincolnshire Council officers pledged to visit the owners.

As reported, Paul and Angie Snelson, of Cleethorpes, transformed their garden hut into a makeshift bar more than a year ago and invited friends and relatives around for drinks.

Mr Snelson (45) said he used to spend around &pound5,000 per year in food and drinks at his local pub.

But after the smoking ban he decided to build his own beach hut and serve drinks to his mates.

No charge is made and donations are left in a jar instead.

He said: “It is just how it used to be and people can have a smoke and enjoy a drink and a laugh in good company.

“It has caught on and we have relatives who have set up their own beach huts. We are up to beach hut number eight now.”

He added: “We do not charge so it is not against the law.”

This was confirmed by officials from the Government’s department of Media and Culture.

A North East Lincolnshire Council spokesman said: “The council is investigating this story and will be in contact with the owners.

“The last thing we want to see is people thinking it is okay to set up a bar in their own garden.”

thanks to Tim for the headsup

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I could just point you to what the media say about Shed week and the great winner, but as you know this site is all about the sheds and the sheddies that build them, Tim has had some great comments from the sheddies of the site and from the public (who I hope will share their sheds as well).

Here is a selection from the comments page on his shed

I am utterly and completely in awe! What a marvelous sanctuary you’ve created. Many years of enjoyment to you!
by Karen V from NJ/US

Congratulations Tim, Your shed is a worthy winner of the Shed Of The Year 2008. I realise now that I was wrong all along when I built a Roman Temple - I should have built a Pub Shed instead. At least it wouldn’t be far to stagger home to bed after a few beers. Tony Rogers - Last year’s winner.

National Pub Shed of Year - totally deserved and on to the finals! Congratulations the beer will taste all the sweeter for it!
by Duncan

This shed has a genuine ‘pub’ feel to it. With Tim on one side of the bar and me on the other, I really could not avoid asking the landlord for the same again!
by Andrew-Moore

That’s a beautiful shed! I wish I had a house like that. Do you need a waitress?
by Marie-laure

It’ s so beautiful and cozy that it made me SHED a tear! Wish we were there! (Do you take reservations for 2012 Olympics?)
by Wendy S. NJ, USA

I think I am the only visitor who has ever asked for tea in this fabulous bar! I also recommend the mulled wine. Day or night, rain or shine, this shed is open for business-even if there is a torch or creative heating techniques necessary. In my opinion, there is no place more relaxing than spending time in this shed.
by Sara, daughter-in-law

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I am very pleased to announce that this years Shed of the year 2008 is wonderful Pub Shed “The rugby pub” owned by Tim from Sudbury in Suffolk

To view more great images of Tim’s Shed click here.

Designed and built by owner,with eight roof lights in octagonal roof, pair of double doors opening as one entrance in fine weather, 15′ fully fitted bar with additional door behind and storage under including 3 fridges, blinds to windows and roof lights, ceiling fan, sink with cold running water, comfortably furnished with sea grass matting floor, Hammock. No phone, no TV ,no interruptions ,no shortage of liquid refreshment

It’s the perfect Man shed but he does let the wife and his friends in for a drink.

What our judges said.

“what a inspiring bunch of sheds this year, congratulations to the winner, let me know when England are playing next” Sarah Beeny

This looks like great fun, and those trapezoidal windows in the roof! not an easy thing to do, and the builder provided the best description. Great job, I want to have a drink there. - Lloyd Alter (treehugger)

Like the ceiling fan idea. If I had a shed like this with a bar in it I’d never leave. - Tony (Last years shed of the year winner)

“Pubs and sheds. It feels like there’s a natural link between them, two of the world’s greatest building concepts which are far more than the bricks and mortar (or timber and felt) from which they’re constructed. As soon as you step inside a great shed, you immediately have a warm and comfortable sensation, and that’s exactly how you should feel in a great pub too. Bring the two together and - BINGO! - you’ve got a very worthy winner indeed.” - Alex from Shedworking

I would like to thanks everyone involved this year for Shed of the year 2008, the judges, the main sponsors - Garden Buildings Direct, our other sponsors - the “cheese shed” and “Make mine a builders tea” and of course the biggest thanks go to all the sheddies who took part, without you readersheds.co.uk is nothing.

It was a close vote in the end with the following wonderful sheds behind Tim

The Plot Thickens
Gar-Den

then closely followed by
Green Gables

all the finalists are here.

Look out for the international shed of the year and our photo competition winners later in the week.

Press: you can find hi-res images of the sheds here, and contact me here.

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