The city pub has gone to the dogs (in a good way)
The dog-friendly pub used to mean a muddy-boots local at the end of a country walk. That’s changing.
This year pet care firm Rover’s “Tavern Testers” visited 110 pubs to find Britain’s most dog-friendly. The London winner was The Foxglove, a free house on Liverpool Road in Islington, and the overall UK title went to The Brandling Villa in Newcastle. Among the Great British Pub Awards’ 2026 Best Pub for Dogs finalists, The Morning Advertiser lists The Cavendish, “a friendly, central London pub”, alongside country pubs in the New Forest and Warwickshire.
Owners are loyal, too. In a Rover survey of 2,000 dog owners in May 2026, reported by London Now, 47% said their dog was on first-name terms with staff at their local.
The case for yes
- Footfall on quiet sessions. A dog walker wants somewhere to stop on a Tuesday afternoon as much as on a Saturday.
- Loyalty. A regular whose dog is welcome tends to come back. You’ll often know the dog’s name before you know the owner’s.
- Events. The GBPA finalists run dog menus, dog walks, birthday parties and “Woof Wednesdays”, according to The Morning Advertiser.
The case for no (or not everywhere)
- Not everyone likes dogs. Some people are frightened of them, some are allergic. Dover District Council reminds owners that “not everybody is comfortable around dogs”.
- Space. A dog stretched out across a walkway is a trip hazard for your staff carrying plates.
- Behaviour. Two dogs that don’t get on, in a busy bar, is a problem you have to sort out on the spot.
- Cleaning. Accidents happen, and you need a proper procedure for dealing with them.
- Your food trade. If you run a busy dining room, some diners will choose you precisely because there are no dogs.
What the law says
No law bans dogs from pubs. Dover District Council puts it plainly: “It is not against the law to have dogs within restaurants, café, pubs”, and it’s up to the owner of the food business whether to allow them.
Kitchens are off limits. Food hygiene law (retained Regulation 852/2004) requires “adequate procedures” to stop domestic animals getting into places where food is prepared, handled or stored. In a pub, that means the kitchen, the stores and behind the bar. Dover’s guidance adds that:
- food handlers should wash their hands straight away after any contact with a dog
- dog bowls should be kept out of food areas and washed separately from food equipment
- any fouling should be cleaned up immediately, with disposable materials and disinfectant.
Assistance dogs are different. Under the Equality Act 2010, the Equality and Human Rights Commission says it would be unlawful to refuse a disabled person with an assistance dog “except in the most exceptional circumstances”. Even a no-dogs pub has to let them in. The EHRC’s guidance also says:
- assistance dogs “are not pets”
- the law doesn’t require a jacket, harness or ID book, so don’t ask for “papers”
- another customer’s allergy is unlikely to be a lawful reason to refuse
- emotional support animals aren’t defined in the Act, but letting one in may still be a reasonable adjustment, depending on the circumstances.
This still catches businesses out. Research by Guide Dogs, published by the RNIB in 2019, found 76% of guide dog owners had been illegally turned away by businesses including restaurants and pubs. Brief every member of staff.
Insurance. Before you change your policy, ring your broker or insurer. Tell them you’re allowing dogs. Ask whether your public liability cover includes injuries caused by customers’ dogs (bites, trips) and whether there are any animal exclusions. Get the answer in writing. We haven’t found a UK-wide rule on this, so it depends on your policy.
Making it work
If you say yes, decide where. Plenty of pubs allow dogs in the bar and garden but keep them out of the restaurant. That’s your choice, as long as assistance dogs are welcome everywhere customers go. Whatever you decide, put it on the door, the website and the booking confirmation, so nobody turns up to a surprise.
Your dog-policy checklist
- Decide which areas dogs can use, then mark them clearly.
- Keep dogs out of the kitchen, the stores and behind the bar, and put that in your food safety procedures.
- Add a line that assistance dogs are welcome everywhere customers go, and train staff on it.
- Brief staff: no asking for ID books, and allergies aren’t grounds for turning someone away.
- Handwashing rule for food handlers after touching a dog.
- Keep dog bowls and treats away from food prep, and wash bowls separately.
- Have a spill and fouling kit (disposables and disinfectant) and a clean-up procedure.
- House rules for owners: short leads, dogs off tables and chairs (unless you’re happy with it), out of walkways.
- Decide what you’ll do if a dog causes trouble, and who makes the call.
- Ring your insurer, confirm your cover in writing, and keep an incident log.
- Tell customers your policy on the door, the website and the booking confirmation.
- Review it after a few months. Ask your regulars, including the ones without dogs.
Sources (6)
- London Now, “Islington pub crowned London’s most dog-friendly for 2026” (Rover awards and survey): https://www.london-now.co.uk/news/26542615.islington-pub-crowned-londons-dog-friendly-2026/
- The Morning Advertiser, “GBPA 2026: Meet the finalists for Best Pub for Dogs”, 15 Sep 2026: https://www.morningadvertiser.co.uk/Article/2026/09/15/gbpa-2026-best-pub-for-dogs-finalists-revealed-great-british-pub-awards/
- Dover District Council, Food Safety Guidance for Dog Friendly Food Businesses: https://www.dover.gov.uk/Port-Health-and-Public-Protection/Public-Protection/Food-Safety/Food-Safety-Guidance-for-Dog-Friendly-Food-Businesses.aspx
- legislation.gov.uk, Regulation (EC) No 852/2004, Annex II (Chapter IX, para 4): https://www.legislation.gov.uk/eur/2004/852/annex/II
- Equality and Human Rights Commission, “Assistance dogs: A guide for businesses and service providers” (updated 20 Dec 2024): https://www.equalityhumanrights.com/guidance/assistance-dogs-guide-all-businesses
- RNIB, “Three in four guide dog owners illegally refused service”, 13 Jun 2019: https://www.rnib.org.uk/news/three-in-four-guide-dog-owners-illegally-refused-service/