Mum-of-two spends £10k converting her garage into a pub

A woman has converted her detached garage into an authentic pub so she can celebrate with family and friends over lockdown.

42-year-old Lisa Bivon from Widnes, together with her husband and two boys, have worked to renovate the garage they have now named ‘The Staying Inn’ pub.

Pictures show the incredible work done to transform the old garage which was “piled to the roof with junk” into a sleek and cosy, traditional pub complete with wall panelling and wooden ceiling beams.

We asked Lisa why she had decided to spend so much money on creating a pub in her own garden.

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She said: “When lockdown came we had the whole garden renovated with fake grass and a hot tub.

“But because nobody was going out we decided to convert the garage into a bit of a bar.

“A lot of friends come to ours anyway because we’ve got quite a big house and garden, and we have barbecues and things.”

The garage that had originally only been used to 'store junk' began it's conversion to a traditional pub over the course of a few short weeks (Lisa Bivon)

The pub – which is due to be finished early next week – has taken several weeks to complete at a cost of an eye-watering £10,000 with few expenses spared in its construction.

Lisa said: “We’ve had all the panelling put in and a proper bar put in.

“We’re now just waiting for the furniture to arrive and a few bits and bobs for the bar itself.

Wooden beams were put in to give the garage/pub an authentic and traditional look (Lisa Bivon)

“We went with the rustic feel, but with a bit of modern, so we haven’t gone for dark oaky wood stuff we’ve gone for a bit of colour with the blue bar.

“The ceiling beams have been put in to give it that country style, rustic look.

“I’ve also gone a bit high-end with the furniture, to be honest.”

The family have spent £10,000 converting their garage into a traditional pub (Lisa Bivon)

There will be an official grand opening of the bar, Lisa said, on August 22, “lockdown permitting” and plenty of occasions coming up for the family to make use of their new bar.

She said: “We’ve pretty much done it for our own benefit or anyone who comes over.

The blue bar will be known as 'Billy's Bar' after Lisa's dad (Lisa Bivon)

“Any functions that come up we’ll have it here. I’ve got my little boy’s holy communion coming up so we’ll have that here.

“My mum’s 70 in November as well so we’re planning on having a party.”

The pub, which will be finished early next week, even comes with its own TV (Lisa Bivon)

As well as pub conversion being a creative new use for a garage that was just being used to store rubbish, Lisa said that it’s also a fitting project in memory of her dad.

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She added: “We decided on the name The Staying Inn, but we originally wanted to call it Billy’s Bar after my dad who’s no longer here.

“He was a temporary landlord and a real pub man so the bar is still going to be called Billy’s Bar at the back.”