A wizard idea to convert a garden house into a pub from Potter books
A PAIR of Harry Potter superfans spent lockdown recreating a wizarding pub in the garden of their new home in a Leeds village.
Self- confessed “Harry Potter nerds” Dan Harrison and Mark Parkinson have transformed the summerhouse in the garden of their 18th century cottage, in Thorner, into The Leaky Cauldron, from JK Rowling’s books.
The couple re- watched all the Harry Potter films and read the books again for inspiration for their Diagon Alley project.
They moved into the house in June and spent their spare time over summer trawling through antique shops, online auctions and charity shops.
The couple bought goblets, tankards, potion bottles, vintage books and antiques to decorate the pub.
Dan, 33, originally of Shadwell, said he and Mark, 30, used food colourings and salt water to recreate potions and printed labels including Wolfsbane and Polyjuice.
They bought custom- made signs, bespoke beer mats, bar runners and a fireplace. And they used an old chest of drawers to make a bar and used tree branches to create the canopy of lights with flying keys suspended by fishing lines.
Drinks in the bar include
Butter Beer, Firewhisky and Pumpkin Juice.
The couple have been on the Warner Brothers Studio Tour London of The Making of Harry Potter and to The Wizarding World of Harry Potter at Universal Studios, in Florida.
Dan told The Yorkshire Post: “I read the books as a kid and I’ve been obsessed ever since.”
He added: “The time spent on the project was a welcome distraction and helped us focus on something other than the worry and anxiety of the Covid crisis.
The project helped us focus on something other than the Covid crisis. Dan Harrison has recreated The Leaky Cauldron pub with his partner.