Man turns garden shed into Irish pub-themed bar in tribute to his dad

A man who created a garden pub in tribute of his father could soon be the owner of the world's best backyard boozer. Len Lavelle constructed 'Bucko's Bar' as a homage to his 90 year old father, affectionately nicknamed 'Bucko'.

The home pub in Cheshire was made from two sheds at the bottom of his garden and emulates an Irish pub snug, featuring beer mats blanketing the ceiling and seating salvaged from a closed Irish club.

Len said: "My dad used to take us to Ireland on holiday every year when we were kids in the 70s and we would end up sitting in an old Irish bar."

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He added, reminiscing about the desire to pass on these experiences, "My dad is now 90, so I wanted to recreate that scene so my sons could enjoy it too," further noting that the pieces of the past came from various hunts: "We scoured online sites and car boot sales everywhere to find all the old stuff to put in it."

"I got the seats from an old club that was closing down, an old electric fireplace, an old cd jukebox, 300 beer mats for the roof, an old door used as a picture frame and loads of little odds and ends to make it feel like a proper 70s vintage Irish snug.", reports Cheshire Live.

Bucko's Bar is now among five UK pubs to reach the finals in the International Backyard Bar Awards, alongside USA competitors. Other UK contenders include Lionesses' Den in Kent, Rock Horror Bar in the West Midlands, Luker's Own Junkyard in East London, and Siren's Call in Devon.

One will clinch the national title to compete internationally.

Len shared: "I built the bar five years ago, and probably the best night was the first day I revealed it to my dad. He thought he was just coming round to have a few drinks in the garden, I sent him down to the shed to get a brush, and when he opened the door, he was completely shocked."

"The bar is all based on family memories, and it is one-of-a-kind. You would not know it was there, it just looks like a normal shed from the outside, but once inside it is like a Tardis. It is special to me, as I built every inch myself, it was a labour of love, and it has a 'Holy Corner' where we raise a glass to celebrate the lives of family members who have passed on."

Five bars from across the USA have also been shortlisted, including Sadie's Haus in Mississippi, The Cabana in Oregon, The Plastered Pelican in Richmond, Lago Bar in Virginia and Swampy's Bar n Grill in Pennsylvania will also go head-to-head before one US winner is decided.

The two winners will then compete for the title of the International Backyard Bar Awards on October 4, organised by brewing tech firm Pinter. All shortlisted entrants receive a Pinter bundle, while the respective US and UK winners will receive a trophy, a Pinter brewing pack and an Ooni Pizza Oven.

The overall international winner will then be awarded a $10,000 cash prize along with four Pinter machines to gift to friends, merchandise from breweries including Appalachian Mountain Brewery, Signature Brew and Sycamore Brewery. Additionally, the winner will also get the chance to design, name, and brew their own beer with Pinter.