Don’t Be Left in the Doghouse!

- Take a look at these dog friendly places . . .

By Helen Donald

There’s no need to leave your best friend at home, with so many places now accommodating your furry friends.

From pubs, to cafes, to hotels, and many tourist attractions, businesses are often trying to find a way to help visitors bring their pets along with them.

To add to this there are a lot of places, and businesses, catering exclusively just for your loyal pals too.

Oh I do love to be beside the seaside . . .

And so do dogs, so here is a trail from Morecambe Bay all the way to Lytham, listing dog friendly stops along the route.

Morecambe

You can walk your dog on Morecambe beaches between 30th September and May 1st. There are restrictions here in between but dogs can still be walked on beachside paths on leads in between.

Dog friendly hotels – The Midland – Stunning art deco styled hotel which welcomes your faithful friends. Stunning sea views too.

The Claredon – another fantastic establishment which welcomes your furry pals.

The Dog Bowl and Rita’s Café are two eateries you should check out in Morecambe for you and your dogs.

You will find Dunelm and a few other stores in Morecambe do accommodate your pups, and you will find a lot of charity shops especially, which welcome your pets to come aboard.

You may need to jump in a car or on a train now to get to the next stop – Fleetwood.

Fleetwood

Affinity Outlet Fleetwood – Shopping Centre, now allows dogs. This is an enclosed shopping area containing 40 top brand stores, and you can shop with your pooch!

Then you could take a walk around Fleetwood’s infamous markets.

After which have a bite to eat and a drink at these dog friendly pubs; The Bug, The Steamer and The Strawberry Gardens.

Following this, accommodations in Fleetwood known to be dog friendly include; the Savoy Hotel, The North Euston Hotel, Wavecrest Lodge or Belmont Holiday Flats.

Before walking on towards Cleveleys.

Cleveleys

On Cleveleys beach you can’t walk your dog between Café Cove and the Blackpool Boundary in the same summer season as Fleetwood. But you can walk them on Rossall Beach and Anchorsholme Beach at any time.

Lots of shops in Cleveleys welcome your dogs too; Cancer Research, Easterleigh Charity Shop, Eden Hair and Nails, M & Co, New Look (if carried), Jewellers workbench, Santander, Sunseekers Travel, and the Red Cross Shop.

Then for food – The Venue on the Promenade is a lovely establishment which welcomes dogs, also Olympia Café and Decades Café both welcome your furry friends too.

Then if your pup is tired, the trams are also happy to have your dogs hop on board. So why not take a tram to Blackpool.

Blackpool

If you need a coffee at this point Starbucks in Blackpool town centre also welcome dogs and even sell their puppuccino. (Many Starbucks establishments do allow dogs and sell these puppuccinos).

Stanley Park is a large park area where you can walk your dog and explore the scenery of the area.

In Blackpool there are a fair few dog friendly pubs and eating establishments including; Dahlia’s Kitchen, Café Chicco on the Prom, the Counting House and the Rose and Crown.

Then walk or jump back on the tram and carry on, maybe taking a pit stop before Star Gate at the Solaris Centre (Just after the Pleasure Beach,) again you can eat and enjoy with furry pal.

St Annes

You will find there are many shops, cafés and bars that are more than welcoming to dogs in St Annes. It seems to be a very dog friendly place in fact. Shops including Bon Marche, Boots, Cancer research, New Look, and café’s –the Pavillion Café, Fresh Café, Café Nero, Bar 10 and Bar 15 and the Café on St Annes Pier. So, there is lots to choose from within St Annes as well as Ashton Gardens and certain sections on the beach (which are clearly labelled).

Lytham

On to Lytham – be it on foot or bus. There are sections of the beach, again clearly labelled, to walk along and plenty more establishments to welcome your dogs.

Bijou of Lytham, Fairhaven Lake Café, Clifton Arcade, and shops including Fat Face, Forsyth’s, Lowther Gardens Café, Lytham Hall Tearooms, the Vinyl Groove, Central Beach Café – are all places which will welcome your furry friends.

Elsewhere throughout Lancashire

There are a mass of pup friendly pubs, many of which also offer accommodation for you and your dog, all over the UK. There are some helpful websites mentioned at the bottom of this article to help you find a dog friendly establishment near you, or near where you may be travelling to.

Some of Lancashire’s dog friendly pubs include;

• The Aspinall Arms – Clitheroe (which has a garden by the river).

• The Dog Inn – Preston

• The Eagle and Child – Mawdesly

• Black Dog Inn – Oswaldtwistle

• The Hare and Hounds – Chorley

• The Three Mariners – Lancaster

• The Coach at Edenfield – Edenfield (Dog walkers hidden gem.)

• The Spread Eagle Inn – Ribble Valley

• The Clog and Billycock – Blackburn

• The Strawberry Duck – Bolton

• The Clarence – Bury

• Longlands - Carnforth

• Beck Hall – Malham (Pride themselves on being dog friendly.)

• Tweedies Bar and Lodge - Grasmere

A few great dog friendly Café’s across Lancashire include;

• The Café at Shores Hey Farm

• Sanwiches Café – Sabden

• The Canal Turn – Carnforth. (Who serve Doggie Ice Cream and Doggie Popcorn!)

What about taking your pal to play out;

• There’s Oswaldtwistle Bark Park. A perfect park for a pooch.

• Action Petz – These are a bit further afield, two sites being located in Cardiff and the other in Swansea, but they would be a good excuse for a weekend getaway if you do live a way off.

• Bark and Bounce – Manchester. Run and play all day.

• Lowther Castle – Penrith – Lovely castle grounds and acres upon acres to explore for you all.

• Penny Farm – World Horse Welfare – Blackpool. Take your dogs to see some fabulous horses.

Check out these fabulous dog businesses;

• The Canine Groom School and Canine Health and Hydro – Clitheroe.

• Scotty’s Cartoons – Have your own pooch portrait done by this fantastic illustrator.

• PJL Pet Photography – Based in Morecambe but can travel to capture you and your faithful friends.

• Woof & Brew – A fabulous pet drinks company.

• Waggy Bum – An amazing dog clothing website.

• Check up on the Lancashire Tourism Awards who offer awards for Dog Friendly Places.

• Or try the Dogfriendly Magazine – a magazine dedicated to all things dog!

Websites to check out: dogfriendly.co.uk | takethedog.co.uk.

And, take a look at the ‘Truly Dog Friendly’ Facebook page: f trulydogfriendly

Look out for our feature on the Canine Groom School and Canine Health and Hydro companies, sister companies run by a truly inspirational couple in Clitheroe.

Business’s are becoming aware that there over 8 million dogs in the UK, and that is a lot of pup mums and dads ready to spend money with them.

It will be World Dog Day in July too, so if you have a dog related business, or you know someone who has, please contact us via email at the magazine to share your story.