Friends’ gaming Shed wins UK competition, honors late companion
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Chris Otterburn and his friends in Lancashire, England, built a shed for their wargaming hobby and later won Britain's Shed of the Year 2026 competition.
The group constructed Otty's Hobby Shed 2.0 as a dedicated space to play tabletop games, store equipment, and socialize. They began the project while their friend, Scott Forrest, was undergoing cancer treatment. Scott Forrest died before the shed was finished, so the friends created a memorial within the building to remember him.
Chris’s friend, Dave, secretly entered the shed into the competition because he believed Chris would not have submitted it himself. Dave also wanted recognition for the amount of effort everyone put into the project and its importance to the group. The shed features an 18-foot gaming table, storage for game materials, and a tea-making station. The friends continue to meet weekly at the shed, playing games and keeping Scott’s memory alive.
Andrew Wilcox, founder and head judge of the competition, said the shed’s story distinguished it from other entries and showed how a garden building could foster friendships and shared passions.
