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Hubbyholes

As a survey reveals that seven million men have a "hubbyhole", Tom Sykes from the Telegraph reveals that he is redecorating his in time for the World Cup

As a survey reveals that seven million men have a "hubbyhole", Tom Sykes from the Telegraph reveals that he is redecorating his in time for the World Cup

The news that Halifax building society estimates that seven million men have a “hubbyhole” – a men-only zone where we chaps can escape from the relentless feminisation of modern life – and that another million are planning to join our number in the run-up to the World Cup comes as little surprise to established aficionados of the man cave such as myself.

I’m a den-lover of long standing, a member of the website mancavesite.org and a vociferous acolyte for the primacy of sacred male space. The only time I haven’t had a man cave to retreat to was during the years when I lived on my own in London – my whole life was one big man cave then. But whenever I’ve been under the control of women – first a mother and three sisters, now a wife and one daughter – I’ve needed a hetero-escape hatch.

The man cave has a star-flecked following these days. Johnny Depp, Brad Pitt, Nicolas Cage and George Clooney all have them. But don’t let that put you off. Roald Dahl famously worked in a shed, and every adult male deserves, nay requires, some place, any place, to escape the tyranny of women and children.

Occasionally, my wife and kids venture up to the garret, usually bringing me biscuits as an excuse, but they always look a bit out of place. They know they are trespassing.

Read the rest of this story from the Telegraph