Antiques centre sees surge in home pub items
Scores of people missing visits to their local pub during lockdown have turned to opening their own home bar, an antiques centre has said.
The Old Mill Antiques Centre in Bridgnorth has received a number of enquiries from stay-at-home landlords wanting to take advantage of a spare room or some unused space.
The rise in popularity meant the shop in Low Town was able to have a successful trade selling a wide range of pub memorabilia through its website during lockdown.
And the home bar continues to be popular despite traditional boozers now being back open, according to Old Mill owner John Ridgeway.
"We have been selling everything from beer mats to bar towels during all three lockdowns, and these items are still being bought by people running their own bars at home," John said.
"Visiting the pub is not just about being able to buy a drink, the whole bar environment adds to the experience and this is what people are trying to recreate in their own homes and gardens.
"Of course it's great that pubs and restaurants are now open for business, but it seems that staying in continues to be the new going out for some, even if it's just occasionally."
It comes after Albrighton man Lee Morris won a nationally competition for his homemade pub he called The Albert Arms.
Lee decked out his shed with a bar and stools, beer pumps, electric drum kit, log burner, dartboard, optics, snooker table, atmospheric lighting, a 50ins TV and even home-brewed ale for the sum of about £3,000.
The 46-year-old won a year's supply of free beer from the competition, run by Liberty Games in July last year.
