A CHESTER business has used ingenuity by literally taking stock to launch a new side venture.

The team behind 45gallondrums.com had, like most businesses, been hit hard by the coronavirus pandemic, experiencing a 70 per cent loss of trade during the initial UK lockdown as demand for storage drums and storage solutions fell.

Thinking outside the box, however, the team was able to unexpectedly enter Britain's barbecue scene, turning its inventory into four brand new, all-in-one upright barbecue drums which double as smokers.

The new 45-gallon ‘BBQ-in-a-Box’ includes three cooking utensils (complete with an integrated tool holder), coal basket, an adjustable cooking grill, chimney starter, and all barbecue essentials.

Nathan Pearson, co-owner of 45 Gallon Drums, said: “Even before Covid-19, barbecues were a massive part of our lives; each Friday, we’d make the time to light a barbecue in the yard to feed the team.

"Myself and co-owner Dean [Fox] were already actively involved in the local community, hosting monthly barbecues for local children and families who volunteered their time for good cause projects such as clean-ups of wildlife areas.

"Like many businesses in the UK, we’ve faced daunting new challenges this year, but our love for the outdoor cooking scene has provided us with a brand new opportunity to grow and develop in a way that we now see as a very natural progression of our business.

"It’s one that we may not have noticed without the pandemic.”

The 45-gallon drum BBQs act as an all-in-one solution for outdoor cooking, enabling everyone to enjoy a safe, secure, and fun dining experience without heading to a pub or restaurant. The design has been upgraded in line with customer feedback and seen three upgrades completed in just eight weeks, giving users two new ways to cook.

The BBQ-in-a-Box has already been used, reviewed, and recommended by UK barbecue wizard, Marcus Bawdon, who met the team at CountryWoodSmoke HQ.

An upgrade kit turns the drum into a smoker while a Plancha plate allows communal cooking on a hot plate over log fires, ideal for smash burgers and getting creative with the family or friends.

Co-owner Dean Fox said: “It’s a very real, and very frightening fact that Covid-19 could have spelt the end of the road for us, and we know that many other small businesses in the UK are facing the same sort of challenges right now.

“While there is certainly a great deal of uncertainty, we want to speak out and tell these organisations that it really is possible to come out of this stronger on the other side with the right growth strategy.

"This is all still new to us, but we’re excited for the future, especially as we’re currently in talks with a very well known craft brewery to create custom barbecues – watch this space!”

The innovative new growth plan implemented by 45gallondrums.com is not only helping the business itself to navigate the murky waters of Covid-19, but many other small UK organisations too.

Committed to playing a role in the resurgence of British manufacturing, the team is dedicated to sourcing all products and undertaking all barbecue manufacturing efforts in Great Britain.

The new barbecues are all laser cut and hand finished in Wrexham, with coal sourced from The Great Welsh Charcoal Company.

The new BBQ-in-a-Box drums are available now for £399 in four different colours: The Big Red, Pretty Green, The Baby Gril (pink), and The Bubba (blue).

To find out more, visit www.45gallondrums.com