CHESHIRE MANAGER TRIUMPHS IN SHED OF THE YEAR 2020

A Quality Control Manager from Heald Green in Cheadle has scooped glory in the Cuprinol Shed Of The Year 2020 contest - with an Irish bar dedicated to his dad.

Len Levelle, 51, christened his creation Bucko’s Bar in tribute to his 87-year-old father Michael’s habit of referring to people as “Bucko”.

Modelled on a traditional 1970s Irish pub, it was constructed by joining two sheds together.

Winner of the ‘Unexpected’ category, its fixtures and fittings were gathered from Freecycle, Ebay and car boot sales. It features a jukebox, electric heating and a widescreen TV and can accommodate up to a dozen drinkers.

Len, from Heald Green, Cheadle said: “My dad was originally from Galway but came over to work as a builder in the UK in the mid-1950s. 

“He brought us up with all the traditional Irish values, and whenever we went on holiday to Ireland we would find ourselves spending most of the time sitting in the corner of an old Irish pub.

“I will never forget the day that I invited him and the rest of the family round for him to cut the ribbon and officially open the bar. It was a great afternoon, and each and every item inside the bar reminded him of his past and he had many tales to tell.” 

Head Judge and competition founder Andrew Wilcox said: “This year we’ve been blown away by the imagination and creativity on display from sheddies up and down the country, during these unprecedented times.

“Len has created a wonderful time capsule that takes us back to Ireland in the 1970s. It’s a great tribute to a wonderful father son bond.”

Kirsty Woodbine, Marketing Manager for Cuprinol, said: “The extraordinary events of this past year have seen the nation’s sheds take on a host of new roles in our lives - from a family refuge to a sheducation hub. It highlights how creative and considerate we can be even through the most difficult of times.

“Now more than ever our gardens, patios and outside spaces provide welcome respite from the uncertainties of the world outside - allowing us time to reflect, relax and socialise.

“At Cuprinol we’re committed to helping people make the most of the outdoors so they can enjoy all the benefits getting closer to nature brings.”

This year’s entrants competed across nine categories - with two new lockdown-specific categories introduced - Lockdown Repurpose and Lockdown New-build. A public vote through readerssheds.co.uk decided each winner. 

About Shed of the Year #cuprinolshedoftheyear

Shed of the Year is a celebration of the great British shed in all their forms. From the miniature to the massive, the modern to the traditional, the cosy to the minimal and everything in between - you'll find sheds of every shape, size and function in the annual competition. The man behind the competition, Andrew Wilcox, is also head judge. A passionate sheddie since his youth  - his mission is to open the eyes of the world to the importance of the shed. And of course the idea came to him in the birthplace of many other fine ideas, the pub!