Powys’s pub coverage via CAMRA’s own “Dog Friendly” tag is solid in most towns, though a couple came back thin, and cafés and restaurants are a near-total gap across the whole county.
Verified pubs (CAMRA “Dog Friendly” tag), by town
Brecon: Brecon Tap, Brecon Rugby Club, Drovers Arms, Markets Tavern. Llandrindod Wells: Temple Bar. Newtown: Hogs Inn (Victoria Vaults), recently reopened. Welshpool: Raven Inn, Owl & Pussycat, Green Dragon. Machynlleth: Red Lion. Hay-on-Wye: Kilverts, Blue Boar. Crickhowell: Swan Inn, Bear Hotel, Britannia Inn. Llanidloes: Mount Inn, Red Lion — note the Crown & Anchor (“Ruby’s”) is currently closed for repairs, expected back by December 2026. Rhayader: Triangle Inn, Castle, Crown Inn, Eagles Inn — the strongest coverage of any town in the county. Presteigne: Royal Oak, Farmers Inn. Knighton: Y Banc, George & Dragon (recently reopened), Plough Hotel, Watsons Firkin Lounge — explicitly described as “walkers and dogs welcome.” Ystradgynlais: Clockworks, Café Chameleon.
Thin coverage in two towns
Builth Wells came back with no CAMRA-tagged dog-friendly pub at all — every candidate checked (White Hart, Fountain Inn, Barley Mow) came up untagged, so this is a genuine gap worth a direct call-round rather than a confirmed fact. Machynlleth only turned up one confirmed pub (the Red Lion); other known pubs in the area weren’t verified as sitting in the town itself.
Cafés and restaurants: a near-total gap
This is the thinnest café/restaurant result of the whole project to date. Bookish Café, Crickhowell, is reported dog-friendly via reviews and a secondary listing site, though the record is a little dated so worth a quick check before a special trip. Hafan yr Afon Café, Newtown, is named directly on the official Visit Mid Wales tourism board page as dog-friendly. We couldn’t confirm a dog-friendly café or restaurant anywhere else in the county — Visit Mid Wales’s own “dog-friendly places to eat” page, which should be the best single source, names almost nothing else inside Powys.
Closures caught and excluded
Several pubs carry a dog-friendly tag but are confirmed closed on CAMRA’s own records, so we’ve left them off: the Three Horseshoes in Brecon (its old address is now Bank Bar & Kitchen, also dog-friendly), the Rose & Crown in Hay-on-Wye (closed and being marketed), and the Old Mill in Llanidloes (closed since 2019, seeking new tenants). Several surviving listings also carry old survey dates despite recent “last updated” stamps, so it’s worth checking ahead for opening hours.
A busy market-town pub, full of walkers and other dogs, takes some settling into for a nervier dog. A calming bite before you set off can help take the edge off. If the anxiety runs deeper than a new environment, that’s a conversation for your vet.
For everything else dog-related in Powys, see our Powys dog services hub — and for somewhere scenic to walk, here’s our guide to the best local dog walks.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is there a dog-friendly café in Powys?
Coverage is very thin — Bookish Café in Crickhowell and Hafan yr Afon Café in Newtown are the only two we could find any confirmation for.
Is there a dog-friendly pub in Builth Wells?
We couldn’t verify one this round — every candidate checked came back untagged on CAMRA’s own records, a genuine gap.
Is the Rose & Crown in Hay-on-Wye still open?
No — it’s closed and being marketed for sale according to CAMRA’s own records, despite still carrying a dog-friendly tag.
Written by Georgiana & Figo, who has strong opinions about which beer gardens have the best sheep-dog-watching vantage points.
