Staffordshire’s dog-friendly pubs are spread thinly but genuinely across the county, from the Moorlands to the Trent valley. Most of what follows comes from CAMRA’s “Dog Friendly” tag, a pub’s own website, or local press, and several sources are a few years old, so we’ve flagged where a quick phone call is sensible.
Verified or listed dog-friendly, by area
Stoke-on-Trent area: the Stafford Arms in Bagnall has a designated dog area in the bar, free biscuits and water. One site labels it as closed, but the pub’s own site shows current hours and festive menus, so we think it’s trading; it’s worth ringing on 01782 502 266. Bagnall is in Staffordshire Moorlands rather than the Stoke unitary area. Stone: The Borehole, by Lymestone Brewery, says well-behaved dogs are welcome. The Fitzherbert Arms at Swynnerton, near Stone, welcomes dogs in the snug, bar, garden and terrace (the CAMRA page dates from 2022). Leek: the Roebuck, which keeps a treat jar for dogs, and the Britannia Inn, both carrying CAMRA’s Dog Friendly tag.
Stafford: the Dog House on Martin Street carries CAMRA’s Dog Friendly tag and opens Wednesday to Saturday only; the Staffordshire Bull also has the tag. Newcastle-under-Lyme: the Polite Vicar welcomes dogs in its beer garden. Rugeley: The Shrew carries the tag, though no restrictions are listed. Kingstone, near Uttoxeter: the Shrewsbury Arms is described as having a dog bar with treats and water, and asks you to book a table if you want the bar or snug; that listing was last updated in 2022, so check first on 01889 500181.
Burton and Lichfield: check before you go
In Burton upon Trent, local press has described The Crossing as allowing dogs in the front bar and Coopers Tavern as very dog-friendly, but that article is several years old and we couldn’t re-verify current status. In Lichfield, Visit Lichfield names Brewhouse & Kitchen, The Barn and Beerbohm as dog-friendly businesses without saying which areas dogs can use, so treat those as leads to check rather than confirmed listings.
Cafés and tearooms
We found no dedicated dog café in the county. At Shugborough Estate (National Trust), the Park Farm tearoom welcomes well-behaved dogs, while the Mansion Tearoom does not; you can eat food bought there in the midden yard with your dog. Trentham Estate’s official page says dogs are welcome in the gardens on a short lead, but it mentions only assistance dogs for its cafés, so ask before assuming.
Name collisions and border cases
There are other pubs called the Stafford Arms, including one in Stafford itself and one in a different county; only the Bagnall pub is the dog-friendly one we mean. The Shrewsbury Arms is in Kingstone, Staffordshire, not Shrewsbury. The Boot Inn at Repton, which turns up in Burton results, is actually in Derbyshire. Searches for Tamworth also surface Tamworth in Australia.
Genuine gaps
We found no confirmed dog-friendly venue this round in Tamworth, Cannock, the main Stoke-on-Trent towns of Hanley, Burslem, Tunstall and Longton, or the Peak District fringe villages. Tamworth Borough Council does publish a Dog Friendly Tamworth map, but it names no venues in text we could read.
Busy pubs can overwhelm a nervier dog. A calming bite before you set off can help take the edge off. If the nerves run deeper than a busy bar, that is a conversation for your vet. For everything else dog-related in the county, see our Staffordshire dog services hub, and for somewhere to walk before lunch, our best local dog walks in Staffordshire.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the Stafford Arms in Bagnall dog-friendly?
Yes. It has a designated dog area in the bar with free biscuits and water. One website labels it closed, but the pub’s own site shows current hours, so ring ahead on 01782 502 266.
Is there a dog café in Staffordshire?
We couldn’t find a dedicated dog café. Shugborough’s Park Farm tearoom welcomes well-behaved dogs, but the Mansion Tearoom does not.
Is the Shrewsbury Arms in Shrewsbury?
No. The dog-friendly Shrewsbury Arms we mean is in Kingstone, near Uttoxeter, Staffordshire.
Written by Georgiana & Figo, who has strong opinions about which pub snugs have the warmest floors.
