From the magnificent leafy oak trees of Sherwood Forest to the cobbled streets of historic Lincoln, there’s plenty to explore in the East Midlands. If you and your dog are looking for somewhere to rest your weary feet and paws after exploring the area, we’ve rounded up the best dog-friendly pubs in the East Midlands, covering Derbyshire, Nottinghamshire, Leicestershire, and beyond.
Dog-Friendly Pubs Our Reviewer Visited in the East Midlands
Our reviewer tried out several pubs in the region before settling on a winner, which we’ll reveal at the end. In the meantime, you and your dog can head to a range of excellent dog-friendly venues, so keep reading to learn more about what the East Midlands has to offer.
Ye Olde Bridge Inn, Oxton
Address: Nottingham Road, Oxton, Southwell, Nottinghamshire, NG25 0SE
Telephone: 0115 9652013
Nearest public transport: Nottingham, with a follow-up bus to Labray Road
Reservations needed: Recommended, as it is often busy
Indoor or outdoor seating: Both
Price range (meal and a pint): £25-£30
Dietary requirements? Vegetarian and vegan options
Opening hours:
- Monday-Friday: 12pm-11pm
- Saturday: 10am-11pm
- Sunday: 12pm-9pm
Deep in the North Nottinghamshire countryside sits Oxton, and inside that, Ye Olde Bridge Inn waits to greet you and your dog. The pub has a massive garden to run around in and offers water and treats as soon as you enter. Plus, the staff are more than excited to say hello to your dog.
As a family-owned spot, Ye Olde Bridge Inn provides delicious food and definitely leans towards being a gastropub. They even have an outdoor cinema for the humans!
The Burnt Stump, Arnold
Address: Burntstump Hill, Arnold, Nottingham, Nottinghamshire, NG5 8PQ
Telephone: 0115 963 1508
Nearest train station: Hucknall
Nearest bus stop: Burnt Stump Hill
Reservations needed: Recommended
Indoor or outdoor seating: Both available
Price range (meal and a pint): £18-£20. Keep your eye out for pub deals, including a meal and a drink for £12.25 from Monday to Wednesday
Dietary requirements? Vegetarian, vegan, and gluten-free options
Hours of operation:
- Monday to Sunday: 11am-11pm
This traditional, red-brick pub is the perfect location for you and your dog to cool down after exploring the famous Sherwood Forest — home of the legendary Robin Hood. The dog-friendliness hits you from the moment you walk in, and our Public House Office designated The Burnt Stump‘s treat/menu station the largest they’ve ever seen.
The Burnt Stump features a large, dog-friendly beer garden and patio, although dogs are also welcome in the bar area itself. What’s more, there are water bowls everywhere outside, as well as a range of toys and a dog menu featuring dog-safe ice cream.
The Wig & Mitre, Lincoln
Address: Steep Hill, Lincoln, LN2 1LU
Telephone: 01522 701413
Nearest train station: Lincoln
Reservations needed: Booking recommended, although they allow walk-ins
Indoor or outdoor seating: Just indoor
Price range (meal and a pint): £25-£30
Good for: Vegetarian, vegan, and gluten-free options
Hours of Operation:
- Monday to Thursday: 8.30am-11pm
- Friday and Saturday: 8:30am-12am
- Sunday: 8.30am-11pm
The Wig & Mitre is a city-centre pub, but don’t confuse that with noisy and hectic. Tucked away on the side streets of Lincoln’s Cathedral Quarter, this establishment is dog-friendly to its core, with staff actively eager to come over and give out treats, and water readily available.
Plenty of dogs come here if your pup is keen to make friends.
The Wheatsheaf, Matlock/Bakewell
Address: Bridge Street, Bakewell, Derbyshire, DE45 1DS
Telephone: 01629 813600
Nearest train station: Chesterfield Coach Station
Nearest bus stop: Bakewell Square
Reservations needed: You can book online, but will need to call for a larger table.
Indoor or outdoor seating: Both available
Price range (meal and a pint): £20-£30
Good for: Vegetarian, vegan, and gluten-free options
Hours of operation:
- Sunday to Thursday: 9:30am-11pm
- Friday and Saturday: 9:30am-12am
The Wheatsheaf offers a fantastic outdoor spot with plenty of shaded areas (important during hot weather). And whether you’re inside or outside the pub, the bar staff offer plenty of snacks and treats. There’s also a dog menu for your peckish pup to choose from.
There’s much to be said for a pub that offers dog treats on entry. That’s a bold signal to the world that dogs are welcome, and you want them to be happy in your pub. And before or after your time there, try a walk along the River Wye or the Monsal Trail together. Bakewell is a beautiful corner of the country.
The Black Bull, Market Overton
Address: 2 Teigh Road, Market Overton, Oakham, Leicestershire, LE15 7PW
Telephone: 01572 767677
Nearest train station: Melton Mowbray
Nearest bus stop: Village Store
Reservations needed: Recommended, but not compulsory
Indoor or outdoor seating (meal and a pint): Both available
Price range: £20-£25
Dietary requirements? Vegetarian and vegan options
Hours of operation:
- Tuesday: 5pm-11pm
- Wednesday and Thursday: 12pm-2pm, 5pm-11pm
- Friday and Saturday: 12pm-11pm
- Sunday: 12pm-8pm
When dogs are mentioned around five times on a pub’s homepage, you know they want to give pats. After a refreshing trot around Rutland Water, The Black Bull offers an excellent opportunity for a sit-down meal full of hearty, country pub fare with a stellar local reputation. Plus, the bar hands out treats, and water bowls are also available.
At some points, the chef even comes out to chat with dog owners about life as a dog owner, and the pub even has a resident hound, Max, if hanging out with your own dog isn’t enough. (We know it is, but more dogs is almost always better.)
The Pyewipe Inn, Lincoln
Address: The Pyewipe, Saxilby Rd, Lincoln, Lincolnshire, LN1 2BG
Telephone: 0116 253 9492
Nearest train station: Lincoln
Nearest bus stop: Burton Waters, but it’s a half-hour walk from there
Reservations needed: Recommended to guarantee a restaurant table, but outside spaces aren’t available for booking
Indoor or outdoor seating: Both available
Price range (meal and a pint): £20-£25, with steaks coming in a little higher, between £30-£40
Dietary requirements? Vegetarian, vegan, and gluten-free options
Hours of operation:
- Monday to Sunday: 12pm-9pm
A family-run pub since the nineties, The Pyewipe Inn don’t allow dogs in the restaurant or lodge, but they’re welcome at the bar or outside. The garden also isn’t secured, but the staff are very friendly and offer up a dog menu (with hot food) for discerning doggy diners, as well as treats and snacks.
It’s pretty well hidden, but The Pyewipe Inn is worth seeking out for dog-friendly canal ramblers. The Pyewipe Inn is also worth a visit if you’re turning up by narrowboat, as it’s a docking point on the canal.
Ann of Cleves, Melton Mowbray
Address: 12 Burton Street, Melton Mowbray, Leicestershire, LE13 1AE
Telephone: 01664 668955
Nearest train station: Melton Mowbray
Reservations needed: Booking recommended
Indoor or outdoor seating: Both available
Price range (meal and a pint): £25-£30 apart from steaks
Dietary requirements? Vegetarian, vegan, and gluten-free options
Hours of operation:
- Tuesday to Thursday: 12pm-10pm
- Friday and Saturday: 12pm-11pm
- Sunday: 12pm-9pm
Resplendent with a massive, walled garden that provides ample opportunity for shade, the Ann of Cleves is a fantastic old pub whose staff very clearly love dogs. Your canine companion is welcome everywhere inside the pub, where they can enjoy a dog menu (yes, including dog-safe ice cream) and have access to treats and water.
The nearby Melton Country Park and Wilton Park are also superb for letting your dog go on a hearty run.
Foxton Locks Inn, Market Harborough
Address: Bottom Lock, Gumley Road, Foxton, Market Harborough, Leicestershire, LE16 7RA
Telephone: 0116 279 1515
Nearest train station: Market Harborough
Nearest bus stop: Main Street
Reservations needed: Walk-ins available, but booking may be helpful at busy times
Indoor or outdoor seating: Both available
Price range: £20-£25
Dietary requirements? Vegetarian, vegan, and gluten-free options
Hours of operation:
- Monday to Saturday: 9am-8pm
- Sunday: 9am-7pm
Especially in the warmer months, dog walkers flock to Foxton Locks, and the Foxton Locks Inn is a perfect place to put your paws and feet up afterwards. If your dog needs tempting, let them know that the pub provides water bowls and duck, hare, and venison-flavoured treats from the Canine Club.
However, if you’re booking ahead and planning to eat, let them know you’re bringing a dog. There are a lot of dogs in this pub at any given time, meaning that it might not be the place for reactive dogs.
The Lion at Basford, Nottingham
Address: 44 Mosley Street, New Basford, Nottingham, Nottinghamshire, NG7 7FQ
Telephone: 0115 970 3506
Nearest train station: Nottingham
Nearest bus stop: Nottingham Road
Reservations needed: Not required
Indoor or outdoor seating: Both available
Price range: £15-£20
Good for: Vegetarian and vegan options
Hours of operation:
- Monday to Thursday: 12pm-11pm
- Friday and Saturday: 12pm-12am
- Sunday: 12pm-10pm
The Lion at Basford has a rich history, with a reputation for cask ales. In fact, it has been featured in CAMRA’s Good Beer Guide for five years in a row. You and your dog can be assured a warm welcome in both the bar and the large beer garden.
The Lion at Basford stands out as a canine haven, with every detail designed with dog lovers in mind. From plush dog beds and cushions piled high, carabiners attached to the furniture for guests to put their dogs’ leads on, treats and dog-safe ice cream on demand, and even staff trained in first-aid for dogs, The Lion at Basford is a prime choice for dog-friendly hospitality.
The Best Dog-Friendly Pub in the East Midlands: The Jam Garden, Loughborough
Address: Bedford Square, Loughborough, Leicestershire, LE11 2TP
Telephone: 01509 238852
Nearest train station: Loughborough
Nearest bus stop: Ashby Square
Reservations needed: Booking can be helpful, as it gets busy
Indoor or outdoor seating: Both available
Price range: ~£20
Good for: Vegetarian and vegan options
Hours of operation:
- Monday to Thursday: 12pm-11pm
- Friday and Saturday: 12pm-11:30pm
- Sunday: 12pm-10pm
The Jam Garden has both an inside and outside treat table, which means you’re never far from a station that lets you spoil them. Plus, the garden is enormous, and fresh water and bowls are dotted all over the patio, with blankets also available. They signpost their dog-friendliness well, but what sets The Jam Garden apart is the staff. They’re more than willing to leave their activities and guide humans and their dogs to a quiet corner, providing water and treats along the way.
The pub is also a ten-minute drive from The Outwoods, a beautiful, well-maintained walk in the woods with lots of wide paths and brooks that are safe for dogs to drink from.
Is your dog a pub-friendly dog?
If your dog loves nothing more than getting out and exploring, a trip to a dog-friendly pub combined with long walks around the East Midlands is probably going to be much appreciated. But for other dogs, being around lots of strangers and unfamiliar strange noises can be stressful. If your dog is anxious, reactive, or simply doesn’t like unfamiliar environments, they’ll probably prefer to stay at home. For peace of mind, use a Rover dog sitter or walker so you can enjoy your day out safe in the knowledge that your dog is comfortable and well cared for.
