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Memorial to parents in running for award
Ann Bate, from, Sutton, in her 1950s-style American diner shed with husband Ian and their daughter Lynsey
A MUM-of-two who has transformed a humble garden shed into a 1950s-style American diner is in the running for a national award.
Ann Bate pledged to create a lasting memorial to her parents, Renee and Albert, after her father passed away two years ago.
So she set about decking out a simple 20ft by 12ft garden shed like a 50s diner - complete with a jukebox, diner booth, radio, TV and petrol pump.
Poignantly, she has named the shed “Renee and Albert’s Diner”.
She said: “My mum and dad were both brought up in the 50s and loved all the music so I decided to do this for them in their memory.
“I’d already had the jukebox for about 10 years and wanted to turn a shed into a diner to give the family a place to get together on special occasions.
“It has taken about 12 months to get it looking how I want it though. I have just been picking up little bits and pieces along the way.”
Renee and Albert’s Diner is now in the running for the national Shed of the Year competition after one of Mrs Bate’s daughters, Lynsey, signed her up.
The annual competition, run by Cuprinol, has already attracted nearly 2,000 entries. Mrs Bate, 45, of Sutton, added: “All our friends and family love it. We always meet up in there now before we go out and spend a lot of time in there in the summer.
“It has been the talk of the neighbours too - especially when we play the old hits on the jukebox!”
Amazingly, two thirds of the UK’s adults are shed owners - bringing the UK shed tally up to nearly 16,000,000.
Among the most unusual items stored in UK sheds are wedding dresses, stuffed animals and tiles from Genghis Khan’s palace! The winners are set to be announced in the first week of July - national shed week.
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Thursday 20 June 2013
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