This Nottingham pub is an absolute heaven for dogs and their owners

The Lion at Basford pub seen from the outside
-Credit: (Image: Laycie Beck)


A pub in Basford has recently been named the UK's most dog-friendly pub so I decided it was time to give it a try and take my own dog with me for a visit. Earlier this month The Lion at Basford was crowned the best pub for dogs after a team of tavern testers inspected more than 100 establishments across the nation for the Rover Dog Friendly Pub Awards.

These days all sorts of businesses claim to be dog-friendly but this often just means a bowl of water being put out or dogs being welcome in certain areas, such as just the beer garden, so I was keen to see how accommodating this pub would be for dogs, especially large breeds like my rottweiler Bear.

After arriving I was relieved that the pub had a car park, as it's always a pain trying to get an excited dog out of car with traffic flying past you every two seconds. On our way in we must have seen at least five different dog bowls, and Bear was keen to test them all out with a few sips.

The Lion at Basford was recently named the best dog pub in the UK
The Lion at Basford was recently named the best dog pub in the UK -Credit:Laycie Beck

There is a really spacious beer garden and decked seating area outside but we decided to sit inside, where there was a huge choice of seating, from cosy armchairs and bar stools to benches and standard seats. As soon as we had walked in a staff member said hello and gave Bear some fuss and it wasn't long until we met the landlady, Ella Wolfenden, who also gave Bear a cuddle and even some treats.

Everyone was so friendly and I could immediately tell it wasn't just a place that allowed dogs, but somewhere that actually welcomed them. We were told that dogs are allowed anywhere and there was not a set area we had to stay in which was lovely, and after sitting down we were shown a carabiner hook on the wall near the table.

There were about a dozen of these inside with more outside, and they can be used to attach your dog's lead to so you don't have to hold them the whole time, but so they are still secure. This was such a great idea and I wish more businesses had this, as it made lunch so much more enjoyable to be able to eat it without also having to worry if the dog suddenly moved.

Landlady Ella Wolfenden with Bear
Landlady Ella Wolfenden with Bear -Credit:Laycie Beck

The menu itself was also brilliant and in addition to the mains there was a range of tapas, wraps and salad options. I loved the fact that all of the burgers were named after country songs and artists. I decided to order the Johnny Cash, which is two beef patties with smoked streaky bacon and Monterey Jack cheese for £11.95.

It also came with salad, a southern fried onion "nest", skin-on fries and some homemade coleslaw. It was a decent portion and the burger itself was bigger than I expected, but it was so delicious that I definitely didn't mind.

The beef patties were nice and juicy and the bacon tasted amazing. It was nice and thick like the good stuff you get from the butcher's rather than the thin supermarket strips. There was a lot of flavour to it.

I ordered the Johnny Cash burger which comes with a fried onion nest, fries and homemade slaw
I ordered the Johnny Cash burger which comes with a fried onion nest, fries and homemade slaw -Credit:Laycie Beck

The coleslaw was creamy and the fries were perfect, not too salty. However, the star of the show was the southern fried onion nest, which was a big stack of onion rings. It was perfectly crispy so every bite I took had the most satisfying crunch.

Meanwhile, I had ordered Bear a dog-friendly vanilla ice cream to keep him busy and they also brought him over his own water bowl. He has had one of these ice-creams before so knew what to do with it, and was happily laid out on the floor licking away.

There was a lovely atmosphere in the pub and even though it was a random Tuesday lunchtime there was still a good few people in it, and one other dog which Bear was very keen to go and say hello to at the end. Speaking to Ella about her inspiration for the pub, she explained: "I'm trying to create a pub where I would want to drink, so we let dogs inside and out.

I ordered Bear a dog-friendly ice-cream
I ordered Bear a dog-friendly ice-cream -Credit:Laycie Beck

"We don't just accept them, we welcome them. We all have a passion for dogs and there is nothing better than going for a beer and having somewhere you can sit and chill out."

She explained that even thought they are super dog-friendly not everyone brings a dog with them, and there's plenty of space so people can come and avoid dogs altogether if they choose. Although it's also great for owners who want to meet others to go on walks with and socialise their dogs more.

The whole experience was fantastic and I can't get over how lucky we are to have the UK's most dog-friendly pub here in Nottingham. Everyone was so welcoming and it's clear the staff know a lot about dogs, they are even trained in first aid for dogs.

I can't wait to come back with Bear and I'm already eyeing up the Rhinestone Cowboy burger.