Two Armstrong Creek neighbours have ‘flipped’ their fence into a backyard bar so they can share a beer and ease ‘iso’ loneliness.
“It’s definitely going to cop a lot of use,” said Travis Benson, who put together the flip-down bar with neighbour Ajay.
“It’s good to have that bit of human contact that’s not a voice over the phone.
“They’ve got young kids like us – so they’re in a similar situation with home-schooling and all those sorts of challenges.”
The ‘Bar on Coastal’ was the “envy of the neighbourhood”, with the two families now able to have dinners or a drink together while maintaining social distancing, Travis explained.
“We get along well with them but during the isolation we’ve gotten to know them a lot better.”
They even streamed Piano Bar some nights and had planned a Mother’s Day brunch for their wives.
“The kids say, ‘are we doing the bar later?’” Travis said.
Travis, an assistant supermarket manager, and Ajay first came across the concept on social media.
“I think it was the girls who had seen it online and were joking that we should do it,” he said.
“Before long we had a saw in our hands and were actually doing it. We’ve both done renos and Ajay used to be a tiler.
“We do a bit of shift [work] so we’re sort of in and out of the driveway at the same times.”
They cut the middle section of their fence, which now swings on hinges on the middle rail and added some plywood for the tabletop.
Travis’s and Ajay’s wives, Nadine and Amanda, added some lights and greenery, while Amanda’s sign-maker parents designed a logo.
“It’s no ordinary hole in the fence!” Nadine said.
“Shame its [almost] winter now.”
