Iain Mason, 55, has converted his garage into a cosy six-seater boozer filled with ale and an open fire
Iain spent less than £1k on the transformation(Image: SWNS)
A man has ingeniously built his own pub in his back garden for less than £1,000, complete with an open fire, cask ale pumps and authentic beer mats.
Iain Mason, 55, has transformed his garage into a snug six-seater tavern adorned with real pub memorabilia, while keeping costs low by ensuring all items were either under £10 or free.
He scoured charity shops and Facebook Marketplace for everything from pint glasses to tables, a dartboard and even the bar itself, and used timber from discarded pallets and wardrobes.
Within just four months, Iain had built ‘Stoaters’ – his very own garden pub.
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“My younger brother had a pub down the bottom of his garden and I thought it was brilliant – just to walk down to the bottom of your own garden, sit in your own pub, have your own music on, and to feel like you’re somewhere different,” said Iain, from East Kilbride, Scotland.
“I didn’t have an overall budget in mind – but I’d seen other ones where people had end up going wild.
“I think the sense of accomplishment is greater when you do have a budget and you can save here and there.
“By finding bargains and finding things to repurpose, there was a much greater sense of achievement.
“I set an initial budget of £10 and under for everything. It’s been really well-received. It’s probably the best thing I’ve ever done.”
Iain built Stoaters in his garage (Image: SWNS)
Iain embarked on a journey across the country during his free time, sourcing low-cost or free furniture to repurpose for his 13 square metre bar.
He admits that while he managed to save on most items, the fridge and TV were exceptions, requiring him to spend a bit more.
In total, Iain estimates he spent about £900 over four months to bring Stoaters to life.
“I’m not a handyman – but my dad is very good at DIY and has taught me a few things over the years,” he shared.
“Once I had the layout of the bar, I was determined to do it properly. When I made a mistake, instead of living with it, I’d take it down and start again.
“I had to pay for things like wood stains and screws, but I didn’t pay for any timber – it was all palettes and old wardrobes.”
“There were a couple of things I had to spend a little bit more on, but the initial budget was everything £10 or under – and I was so determined to do it like that.”
Iain spent four months converting his garage into his own pub(Image: SWNS)
Iain added: “The dartboard I got from a young couple in Greenock, who had just moved into a new flat and found that in a cupboard – that was £10 and I drove to get it as soon as I saw it. I was really happy with that.
“The top of the bar itself was an old table that was broken, so that was given away. It’s quite a long bar, so finding a big table probably would have been quite expensive.
“There’s a small table in the corner that was being given away for a fiver by a cricket club. The fireplace was also being given for scrap.
“The shelves behind the bar that all the bottles are on – that was an old sideboard that a couple was getting rid of in Paisley. That was a great find – a really nice, sturdy old sideboard.
“When I put that up in the corner of the bar, that’s when it really started to turn into a bar and not just a room.”
Inside the pub(Image: SWNS)
Iain kept his project under wraps from his nearest and dearest, including wife Sheena and 16 year old daughter Olivia, before finally revealing his creation to family and friends.
“My wife was genuinely impressed. The biggest compliment I have is when people say it’s like a real pub,” Iain said.
The makeshift landlord has established two golden rules for anyone visiting his watering hole – every guest must take their turn serving behind the bar, and visitors should leave either a foreign banknote or business card as a memento, paying tribute to Iain’s bartending days from three decades ago.
“We’ve had some great nights,” he added.
It has six seats for punters(Image: SWNS)
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