Tiger enters Midlands with 21st franchise show site at Rugeley

 
Woodlands Home & Garden Group has announced that its Tiger sheds retail network has now expanded to 21 sites across the UK with the launch of its new show site in Rugeley. While a small number of locations are operated directly by Tiger, it is the franchisees who are driving the network’s continued expansion.

"The rapid growth of our Tiger retail network is a key component of our multi-channel strategy," said Ross Moran, CEO of Woodlands Home & Garden Group, "positioning us to achieve our ambitious goals of doubling revenue and becoming the UK’s leading garden building brand. By combining a strong digital presence with a growing physical footprint, we are giving customers more opportunities to experience Tiger’s superior quality in person while supporting our franchise partners in building highly successful businesses."

The new show site is located at Wolseley Bridge Garden Centre, A513 Rugeley, Milford, Stafford ST17 0YA and is open from 9am until 5pm on Monday to Saturday and 10.30am until 4.30pm on Sunday. 

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Crane Garden Buildings announce its Shed of the Season 2025 winner

This year Crane Garden Buildings has run its first Shed of the Season competition which is open exclusively to owners of Crane sheds. Customers were invited to share seasonal images of their Superior, Classic and National Trust models which showed off the delightes of autumn.

So congratulations to Dr Dianne Gull from Cumnor who is the inaugural winner. She and her husband Professor Keith Gull replaced their old, windowless (and rat-infested) shed during lockdown, picking  a 2.8m x 4.0m Superior with roof overhang, double doors with windows, and shiplap cladding painted in Farrow & Ball 'Pigeon'. It is used for gardening purposes as well as entertaining,

“The shed has made such a difference. It’s practical, looks beautiful, and it completes the garden. What’s not to like!” said Dianne.

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Bothy Stores to close

Sad news from the fine folk at Bothy Stores who have decided to call it a day. Launched in 2017 by artist Bobby Niven and architect Iain MacLeod in response to demand for the cabins they hadd created for the arts organisation Bothy Project, over the last nearly decade, Bothy Stores has built bothies across the UK. 

Here's what they say:

"The integrity and quality of the bothies have gained Bothy Stores wide recognition, and the opportunity to work in spectacular locations and with exceptional clients. This work has enabled Bothy Stores to help fund Bothy Project’s mission to provide creative residencies. We’re incredibly proud of this legacy and deeply grateful to everyone who has been part of our journey."

Although Bothy Stores is now closed, the Craft, Artist and Studio Bothies can be commissioned through Studio IMA, Iain MacLeod’s architectural practice. 

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George Bernard Shaw's memory celebrated at his writing hut

Yesterday, volunteers at Shaw's Corner came together at his writing hut for their annual celebration of George Bernard Shaw marking the day in 1950 when the great man's ashes were mixed with his wife Charlotte's and then spread around their garden surrounding the house. On this day, the volunteers meet at the hut and read from his works. An excellent thing to do.

Photo courtesy of Leah Calnon/National Trust

Friday Finery: Bathing huts at Deal

The watercolour painting Bathing Huts at Deal by Edward Ardizzone (one of Shedworking's favourite artists) is among the items featuring in 'The Illustrators: The British Art of Illustration 1806-2025' exhibition at Chris Beetles Gallery, London, through to January 2026.

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Hutsmith's new cabin on wheels coming in 2026

Cotswolds-based Hutsmith has announced that next year it will officially launch a new range of huts on wheels which can be much wider than a standard shepherd's hut, though any size will be availabl. 

This is a rendered image of a 3m x 3m but still gives a very tempting impression of what will be available at some point in 2026.

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Thursday posts are sponsored by Cabin Master, bespoke garden rooms and offices designed, manufactured and installed throughout the UK

Underwing workshop pottery studio

There might be a small cavil here about whether this is a shed or not since it's a pottery studio by Ashton Porter Architects that is probably a former animal shelter and an adjunct of a 15th century barn. Anyway it's lovely (more photos of it at the link above).

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Garden office micro-bakery

 

A really interesting new case study at Malven Garden Buildings focuses on Vanessa Rae and her micro-bakery Bread & More not far from Stoke which is a 14 x 10 Studio Flat model

“There wasn’t a suitable space in the house, so my husband Tom suggested a garden building," she tells MGB. "We had the perfect spot next to the garage. I don’t need to travel anywhere, and we designed the space, so it works beautifully for both baking and selling. I couldn’t be happier with the result.

“The main challenge was fitting all the equipment needed in the space without it feeling cramped. We didn’t want the building to dominate the space, so we didn’t go for the largest size, but somehow, we managed to make it both practical and beautiful.” 

You can read more via the top link above.

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Friday Finery: Charred timber garden room

A lovely Finery this week to help make the stinky weather more bearable, this is a 5.8m x 3.6m garden room/gym in Guildford with charred timber cladding from Cosy Garden Rooms.

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Friday posts are sponsored by Warwick Buildings, manufacturers of outstanding quality timber buildings. Click here for more information

 

Beach Hut of the Year 2025

Congratulations to yoga therapist Chrissie Bond who has won the Love Your Hut of the Year 2025 with her Clacton-on-Sea hut called Mamastay. She takes home the winners' plaque, £25 voucher, and a luxury  hamper.

"Well done to all the other entrants," she said. "There were so many beautiful beach huts, and I’m sure they were all created with the same love and dedication that I poured into mine. Namastay is my sanctuary by the sea."

Runners up Róisín Murphy, Adrian Gullick and Jeannine Williamson all get a voucher, Love Your Hut towel, and a pair of heart-shaped sunglasses!

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Thursday posts are sponsored by Cabin Master, bespoke garden rooms and offices designed, manufactured and installed throughout the UK

Plankbridge has teamed up with nHouse

Shepherds' hut specialists Plankbridge have gone into partnership with sustainable modular home specialists nHouse. In a joint statement they said that "both businesses will benefit from increased market share, shared innovation and economies of scale".

Nick Fulford, founder of nHouse, and Emma Feaver, MD of nHouse will become Directors of Plankbridge, assuming the roles of Head of Strategic Change and CEO respectively, working alongside Plankbridge directors and co-founders Richard Lee and Jane Dennison (all pictured above).

"Jane and I have strived hard to nurture Plankbridge to where it is today and we are proud to have built such a talented team of designers and hutmakers," said Richard. "We are excited to be at this next chapter of the Plankbridge story, and to see where we are headed next with renewed purpose and vision. The individual components of both businesses combine to make something much more valuable and powerful than the elements could achieve alone."

Fulford described Plankbridge as "a quintessential high-quality British brand. It’s right up there with Rolls-Royce and Barbour".

The collaboration is already underway and has already notched up operational improvements and strategic changes to help production and the supply chain.

"Together, we aim to uphold the brand’s legacy and ensure its continued success in the future," said Feaver. "Collaboration thrives on shared visions and honest dialogue, where challenges become opportunities for growth."

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Wednesday posts are sponsored by Booths Garden Studios, the UK's No.1 supplier of zero maintenance and portable garden studios

Poet Laureate Simon Armitage's The Shed podcast returns

 

 

Excellent news, arguably the world's best shed-based podcast is back in business. After the BBC mystifyingly decided not to renew Simon Armitage's series, he has quite rightly decided to simply carry on regardless, with Yorkshire Tea as his podcast partner. Here's what he says:

"I’m delighted to announce that I’m opening up the doors of my garden shed to welcome in half a dozen guests for a chinwag. One at a time, mind - there isn’t much room in there, even when I’ve moved the lawnmower. Feel free to put your ear to one of the many holes in the wall and eavesdrop my natterings with Self Esteem, Susie Dent, Richard Hawley and others who’ve ventured into the Pennine uplands."

It's available in the usual places such as Apple and Spotify, with Frank Skinner - himself a poetry podcaster now - the first interviewee of the new series.

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Monday's posts are sponsored by Smart Modular Buildings, the UK's best garden room company

Friday Finery: Mudeford Sandspit beach hut view

It's not always the shed, it's sometimes the view from the shed. In this example for Friday Finery it's the view from Hut 363 at Mudeford Sandspit which has just gone on the market with beach hut specialists Denisons at the bargain price of just £475,000. Features include timber double-glazed windows and bi-fold doors (pictured above) that open onto the beach and deck area, two double beds upstairs, fitted kitchen, and solar panels.

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Dr Jenner’s Hut added to 2025 At Risk register

Historic England has released its latest Heritage at Risk Register 2025 which shows which buildings around the country need some help to survive. Among them is the thatched brick and stone garden office/hut/shed belonging to Edward Jenner in Gloucestershire in which he experimented with vaccines in general, and smallpox vaccine in particular, and which has been dubbed the birthplace of immunology (he called it "the temple of vaccinia"). 

"The heritage we see all around us impacts how we feel about our local places," said Historia England CEOs Claudia Kenyatta and Emma Squire. "The annual Heritage at Risk Register gives us the opportunity to celebrate the many benefits of bringing our historic buildings back into use. The best way to protect our buildings is to reuse them, turning them into places of local connection and joy. The sites that have been saved and have come off the Register this year really highlight the benefits of working together in partnership, and with communities, to create positive, sustainable change. Together we can safeguard our heritage for future generations."

Photo courtesy Historic England.

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New painting of Dylan Thomas's writing shed

An absolutely fabulous painting of Dylan Thomas' writing shed in Laugharne by artist David Cowdry which you can see from this Saturday until November 22 when it goes on show at the Ivy House Gallery in Llandeilo as part of an exhibition of David's work. There's so much to enjoy in it but the Shedworking team was especially taken by the dust in the air in the centre of the painting. "I have visited the writing shed of Dylan Thomas many times and on each visit I have peered in through the window and thought that I must paint the scene one day," said David.

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Garden office with extended height

A nice example of a bespoke garden office project from Haon Garden Rooms. The Oxfordshire-based hotelier client wanted an extended height garden office. Features include cedar brown composite cladding (front and right side) and anthracite Hardie Plank (left side and rear), and large anthracite French doors framed by glass panels. More photos and details of the very attractive interior here.

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Friday Finery: Elegant garden room

Sadly no longer in production, it's still nice to remember for this week's Finery the intriguingly curved Elegant Garden Room from Harrod Horticultural with floor-to-ceiling windows.

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Tiger marks 20th site with new franchise opening

Woodlands Home & Garden Group’s consumer retail brand Tiger has launched its 20th UK show site at Dobbies Garden Centre in Andover.

The new site continues Tiger’s franchise expansion which has more than doubled its retail footprint in 2025. 
 
Sam Jenkinson, Head of Marketing at Tiger said: "Reaching 20 sites is an important milestone for us, and Andover is the perfect location. The relationship with a number of garden centre chains gives us high-footfall retail environments, and the franchise model continues to deliver strong results, with several partners already taking on additional sites, and also, as in this case, helping to bring other franchisee operators to us.”

The new show site is open 9am-5pm on Monday to Saturday and 10.30am-4.30pm on Sunday. 

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Thursday posts are sponsored by Cabin Master, bespoke garden rooms and offices designed, manufactured and installed throughout the UK

Men's Shed in Camberly on BBC Radio 4

The BBC Radio 4 series Café Hope in which presenter Rachel Burden talks to folk who are doing their bit to make things better features Neil Baker from the Men's Shed in Camberly in its latest episode. He tells Rachel how their community workshops reduce loneliness, and encourage men to make new friends while completing building projects. Listen to it at the link above (it's only 15 minutes long so ideal for a coffee break moment).

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Wednesday posts are sponsored by Booths Garden Studios, the UK's No.1 supplier of zero maintenance and portable garden studios

Shepherd's hut tack room

The latest design from Plankbridge following their dog wash hut, laundry room, and garden privy models is its Tack Room measuring a bijou 2m x 2m. Features include full-size saddle racks and bench storage seating as well as familiar favourites such as tongue-and-groove panelling, cast-iron electric radiator, 70mm Thermafleece sheep’s wool insulation, and of course corrugated tin exterior in your chosen colour.

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Friday Finery: thatched garden room

A tremendous build for this week's Finery from The Little Thatched Co which incorporates said thatched roof, originally designed as a mobile 'show building' but which unsurprisingly struck a chord. Measures 2.9m x 1.6m x 2m.

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Friday posts are sponsored by Warwick Buildings, manufacturers of outstanding quality timber buildings. Click here for more information

 

Inside Cressida Cowell's writing shed (video)

A nice video for BBC Newsround (sans John Craven, sadly) in which Cressida Cowell guides us around the spot in which she wrote the How to Train Your Dragon series.

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Thursday posts are sponsored by Cabin Master, bespoke garden rooms and offices designed, manufactured and installed throughout the UK

Garden office music studio

Here is the Rubicon Garden Rooms office and rehearsal studio for Radiohead tribute band, Just Radiohead (pictured with Rubicon's Managing Director John Lyon)

It's a bespoke, sound-proofed music studio, with insulated glass installed in the back garden of band member Shaun on the Wirral who also uses it as a home office for his day job running a motivational speaker and leadership management training company. Rather than convert a large garage, they went down the shedworking route.
 
“Having the studio has made a huge difference to the band," said Shaun, "because it can be quite expensive to hire a rehearsal space, so we’re saving a lot of money doing that. It also means we don’t have to move our equipment so much."

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Tiger expands in Scotland with new Ayr show site at Dobbies Garden Centre

Woodlands Home & Garden Group’s brand Tiger has launched its third Scottish franchise show site. The new site at Dobbies Garden Centre, Ayr, is part of Tiger’s franchise-driven expansion strategy and, as elsewhere, showcases the brand’s sheds, summerhouses, workshops and log cabins.

“We were keen to bring Tiger to Ayr because it’s a brand with a proven reputation and a strong following," said franchisee Andrew Mathieson. With Tiger’s manufacturing expertise and the support behind the franchise model we’re confident this new site will be a real success.”

Sam Jenkinson, Head of Marketing at Tiger, added: “Scotland has been a strong growth market for us, and this third show site at Ayr represents another important step forward in reaching Scottish consumers. This first site in the Dobbies network provides us with prime retail environments to showcase our buildings, and Andrew and his team are well placed to deliver excellent customer service and sales performance.”

The Ayr launch, the 10th this year, means Tiger’s national footprint includes 19 sites, with more openings planned before 2026.

The new Tiger Show Site at Ayr is now open at Dobbies Garden Centre, Holmston Road, Old Toll, Ayr, KA6 5JJ, Monday-Friday 9.30am-4.30pm, Saturday and Sunday 10am-3pm.

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Friday Finery: Skipjack Pod

This rather lovely curved interior of a Skipjack Pod from Hully, which also comes with optional glass-fronted façade, is this week's week-ending Finery.

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Friday posts are sponsored by Warwick Buildings, manufacturers of outstanding quality timber buildings. Click here for more information