The search is on to find Britain’s most dog-friendly pub as part of DogBuddy’s third annual Dog-friendly Pub Awards and the competition is heating up! The North West leaderboard is now live, with dog-loving pub goers casting their vote to find the perfect pub for pooches.
The DogBuddy Dog-friendly Pub Awards were introduced by Europe’s leading online dog-sitting platform DogBuddy, with the aim of recognising and celebrating the UK pubs that go the extra mile to make dogs (and their owners) feel welcome.
With recent research showing that pubs are closing at a rate of 18 a week, over 800 per year, DogBuddy believes that being dog-friendly is increasingly important for pub trade. It seems that dog owners are also helping to keep the UK pub trade alive. A survey of 3,000 dog owners showed that 95% visit the pub, and over a quarter of them (26%) say that they pay a visit to a pub more than once a week.
Laura King, Manager at The Caledonia pub in Liverpool, said: “Being dog-friendly builds upon our existing status as a community pub. Dog owners are relieved to have a nice city centre pub where they can eat, drink, watch music and bring their little buddy along”.
Nearly two thirds (64%) of dog owners will search online for a dog-friendly pub before making a visit, and 67% are put off visiting a pub if it’s not dog-friendly. Nearly a quarter (24%) of dog owners have left a pub because it’s not been suitable for their dog.
DogBuddy is encouraging pubs across the country to embrace ‘paw power’ and welcome not just two, but four-legged customers too. Not only will these awards show some well-deserved appreciation of existing dog-friendly establishments, but they also aim to promote dog-friendly values across all pubs nationwide, inspiring dog owners in the UK to discover and visit their local pubs.
Voting is open now. Voting closes on Sunday 28 October 2018.
