Shed of the Year shortlist announced with four fabulous entries from Yorkshire to vote for

Voting is now open and the creator of the winning shed will have the prestige of winning plus an overnight stay in a relaxing nature resort plus £250-worth of Cuprinol product. The public vote will determine the winners from each category and these will then go to a judging panel to pick the overall winner of this year’s competition.

Joseph Swift from West Yorkshire and Sam Deloughry from South Yorkshire are the two contenders for Young Sheddie of the Year. We featured Joseph’s fabulous pub shed in the Yorkshire Post recently. Named The Handsome Devils Club it is sensational with an incredible attention to detail.

The judges say: “This shed, expertly crafted by Joseph, possesses a bespoke bar and classic features throughout to give the feel of a cosy country cottage to be enjoyed by friends and family on warm summer evenings.”

Sam’s EcoHaven Retreat is also very impressive and the judges summed it up by saying “With a strong focus on sustainability, affordability and innovation, Sam has constructed an eco-friendly retreat, perfect for relaxing with his friends. It is powered by solar energy and many of the resources were recycled.”

The third shortlisted shed from Yorkshire is The Kitchen Cabin by Tom Dewhirst from West Yorkshire in the Budget category and judges say: “Tom rescued most resources used to construct his ever evolving shed from the local tip, proving creativity should not be limited by budget. Kitchen Cabin is an ideal spot to cook and enjoy his home grown produce from on a summer evening.”

The fourth contender aiming to do God’s Own County proud is The Cornered Bat, a Tiki bar by Mick and Dawn from South Yorkshire in the Pub/Entertainment category. Judges were clearly charmed by it and they said: “Mick and Dawn created this Tiki-inspired bar in their garden, originally to support Mick’s mother’s dementia, as her worsening condition prevented her from visiting the local cafes she so loved. Following her passing, it now serves as a vivacious garden sanctuary, holding many fond memories.”

While we are, of course, rooting for the Yorkshire sheddies, we recommend visiting the Readers Shed website to see the other shortlisted sheds. Railway enthusiast Richard Cantrell and his partner from Derbyshire celebrated their family’s work in the railway industry by turning a small shed into a retro 1950s/60s era London Midland railway station named Leabrook Central and it is on the short list in the unique/unexpected category.

Richard says: “My grandfather and great grandfather worked on the railways, more so on the Buxton-Matlock line in Derbyshire, and my partner’s family also worked on the railway. To this day her father volunteers at the local heritage Midland Railway.

“To celebrate all this I thought I transform my shed and around it into bygone era of British railways, incorporating wooden models of the 1960s Midland Pullman, Fowler Class 3F steam locomotive, mini model of the Chee Tor tunnel, a replica working Midland station clock, a Midland signal, vintage era signs/adverts and the bygone colour to bring uniqueness and brightness life to my small shed and garden.”

Another unusual one is by 99-year-old Ken who transformed his shed with 41 framed jigsaws, which he has completed over the last three years.

Marianne Shillingford, Creative Director at Cuprinol, comments: “We are thrilled to see so many sheds follow suit of last year’s winner Archie Proudfoot’s ‘Frankenshed’, by reinvigorating otherwise simple builds with innovative design. It’s incredible to see such masterpieces made from reclaimed materials and utilising colour so effectively. These garden improvements can really make a huge difference, regardless of budget.

“Equally, we have seen a lot of people spare no expenses with the creation of gorgeous garden escapes for them and their families. I always love seeing these sheddies showcase their creativity, to design spaces that make the most of time spent in the great outdoors.”

Head Judge and founder of the competition and founder of Readers Sheds, Andrew Wilcox, adds: “I’ve been running this competition for 18 years and it’s been incredible to see this competition grow and evolve. This year’s roster of sheds has featured first-of-its-kind ideas and creativity like I’ve never seen. I know choosing the winner will be a tough call.”

You have until August 2, 2024 to vote for your favourite sheds. To find out more about each finalist, and cast a vote, please visit: www.readersheds.co.uk/