Garden sheds 'are no longer a male preserve'

19:07:20 5th July 2010

Garden sheds were once seen as places where only men would venture but in this day and age women are very much as interested in them as their boyfriends and husbands.

Susie Mesure, from the Independent, highlights the statistic that almost half of the garden sheds in the running for the Shed of the Year prize are owned by women as proof that both sexes appreciate all that they offer.

According to Sarah Beeny, a TV presenter and property developer, while garden sheds were once a place for men to go for some time to themselves, that is certainly not the case any more.

"Sheds are probably the last male domain that we've finally taken over. There's nowhere for them to retreat now," she told the newspaper.

A selection of quirky and interesting garden sheds went on display yesterday (Sunday) at the I love West Leeds festival.

In the Shedopolis section of the event, 15 examples of converted garden sheds were opened to the public, including the Jackanory Shed.