10 Dog Friendly Pubs In Northampton

In this article we are looking at 10 dog friendly pubs in Northampton. Post Covid and with the current difficult trading conditions, I’m sure local pubs would welcome your custom. So whether you just fancy dropping in for a pint, want to grab a meal or want to watch the game on a pub big screen, you don’t have to leave the pooch at home. In this article we look at dog friendly pubs close to Northampton itself rather than the county of Northamptonshire. So if you are looking for dog friendly pubs in Kettering, Corby, Wellingborough and the like there are other articles out there more suitable. Who knows maybe we will write future articles looking at pubs further afield.

1. Sunnyside

The Sunnyside pub is now owned and managed by Marstons. It would seem to offer everything most pub-goers could want. They have a decent selection of beer, serve a fairly wide selection of food and show live sports. Currently that means The World Cup in Qatar but from late December onwards that will mean the return of The Premier League.

The Sunnyside has a free car park and is set back from the main road. First impressions are of a welcoming pub with seating both indoors and outdoors. Many enjoy sitting outside with their dog and a pint of beer in a lovely pub garden but it’s more of a summer pursuit! Well behaved dogs are welcome in the bar area.

Looking at online reviews most are positive with many praising the staff and the prices for the food. Like any busy establishment it’s impossible to get it right all the time and please everyone and a selection of negative reviews reflect this. Perhaps they had staffing issues at those times. If you fancy giving this dog friendly pub a try here is the address and a link to their website:

Sunnyside
Boughton Green Road
Northampton
NN2 7AG
Sunnyside Website

2. Cock Inn

The Cock Inn is another Marstons’ pub. A very attractive building brimming with character. There used to be a Cock Hotel on the site which dates back to the 1500’s. The current sandstone building however dates from 1893.

A good option for food and drink the Cock Inn also holds appeal if you fancy a game of pool or darts. They do show some live sports but I have a feeling this is only games shown on free to air channels rather than premium channels like Sky or BT Sports. Being such a large building, customers are also able to hire their function room which is suitable for up to 150 people.

Reviews are generally positive. I particularly noticed a large number referencing the chef Mark and his Sunday roasts which seem to be great value! They state they are a dog friendly pub but I could not find any more specific information relating to whether this is limited to some parts of the pub. Their contact details are as follows:

Cock Inn
Harborough Road
Kingsthorpe
Northampton
NN2 7AZ
Cock Inn website

3. White Elephant

The White Elephant is a Greene King pub which overlooks The Racecourse. It seems popular with locals according to reviews which regularly mention the food served. They also have a good outdoor area but that’s probably not as popular this time of year! The White Elephant does show live sports including those on Sky Sports and BT Sports. They even open earlier than usual for morning World Cup games.

In terms of its dog friendly credentials, General Manager Nicola Taylor commented:

“We’re an extremely dog-friendly pub, situated opposite The Racecourse park we encourage well-behaved dogs and their owners to visit with the offer of free treats – we frequently see our doggy regulars trying to pull their owners into the pub as they know they get treats here! Dogs are welcome throughout the pub with the only exception being the raised carpeted restaurant section.”

Nicola Taylor – General Manager

Their contact details are as follows:

White Elephant
2 Kingsley Park Terrace
Northampton
NN2 7HG
White Elephant website

4. Spinney Hill

Another Greene King pub so you can expect a similar menu and range of drinks that you will find at the White Elephant. They also show live sports both on free to air channels and premium channels like Sky Sports and BT Sports.

The Spinney Hill has free parking and the car park is large. Again reviews are largely positive with lots of reviewers praising the range of drinks, the food and the staff working there. It seems to be a very dog friendly pub. General Manager Josh Teasdale says:

“We allow dogs in all areas of the pub and we have a large capacity of both indoors and outdoors in fairer weather. We provide a doggy station with water and treats for visiting dogs. I have two German Shepherds myself, including Sam who can often be seen on the pub balcony and has become something of our pub mascot.”

Josh Teasdale – General Manager

If you fancy giving the Spinney Hill a try here are there contact details:

Spinney Hill
Kettering Road
Northampton
NN3 6LR
Spinney Hill website

5. Abington

Yet another pub in the Greene King chain. Another impressive looking old building serving range of beers, food and showing live sports. Ideally situated for both Abington Park and Northampton Cricket ground.

Largely positive reviews with customers praising the staff, food and prices. Like other pubs in the Greene King chain, they state they are dog friendly. I couldn’t get additional information from them though. If you are a dog owner who uses this pub feel free to leave a comment about your experience.

The contact details for the Abington are:

Abington
383 Wellingborough Road
Northampton
NN1 4EY
Abington website

6. Trumpet

Yes you’ve guessed it, another pub that’s part of the Greene King chain. This is a Northampton dog friendly pub that is likely to appeal to those living in the Weston Favell area of town. In terms of food, drink and live sports you can expect the same as what you get from the other Greene King pubs already mentioned. In summer it benefits from a large pub garden.

Generally positive reviews and like other pubs in the chain it seems they score well for value for money. Staff also take the time to reply to reviews which is always a good sign that they care about customers.

Address and website link:

Trumpet
574 Wellingborough Rd
Weston Favell
Northampton
NN3 3JB
Trumpet website

7. The Bear

This Craft Union pub is located in the heart of the town centre. I’ll be honest, I’ve never heard of Craft Union before. The Bear does have a website but it seems they prefer to advertise via their Facebook page and they do post regularly. Being a town centre pub they probably do not have their own car park.

The Bear has both BT Sports and Sky Sports. Other entertainment includes some live music, quiz nights, karaoke and even skittles.

It’s stated that they are dog friendly but it’s hardly something they make a point of mentioning. It’s not a pub I’ve used but I get the impression this is a drinkers’ pub and I’m not sure that they even serve food. Any dog owners who have more experience of the Bear please feel free to leave a comment.

Contact Information:

The Bear
11 Sheep Street
Northampton
NN1 2LT
Facebook Page

8. St Giles Ale House (Since Closed)

Something slightly different, St Giles Ale House describe themselves as Northampton’s first and only micro-pub. If you are not a fan of large chain pubs or loud music and TV’s playing sports this could be the pub for you. They specialise in offering less well known ales, many locally produced. They also rotate the ales they sell so a good option for those that like to experiment. They do serve food, though menu is limited.

Reviews for this pub are very good, it appeals to those who are seeking a different drinking experience. Staff are friendly and they also have a dog that is mentioned regularly in the reviews. Cheese and wine evenings also seem very popular. It seems they know their target market (CAMRA members) and are not particularly trying to compete with the chains on prices.

Being such a small pub I’m not sure how I would feel about turning up with a large breed of dog at busier times. Certainly worth contacting them to ask though and perhaps a pub you might want to return to, even without the dog.

Contact details:

St Giles Ale House
45 St Giles’ St
Northampton
NN1 1JF

Sadly St Giles Ale House announced that they were closing in January 2023.

9. Britannia

The Britannia is a Chef & Brewer pub located on the River Nene. Reviews seem to vary between two extremes. Some love the food served here while others seem to have had a very unsatisfactory experience. Since there seems no consistent thread to the reviews I’m guessing this has something to do with staffing issues. A number of the poor reviews make mention of parking fines. The Britannia does have a large car park but it seems that they must have had issues previously with people who were not customers taking up spaces. It seems you need to log your car registration on a tablet in the pub but perhaps this isn’t made clear to all customers since a number of customers complain about receiving parking fines after visiting.

Contact details:

Britannia
Bedford Road
Northampton
NN4 7AA
Website

10. Lakeside

The Lakeside is a Hungry Horse establishment. Reviews indicate that it is indeed dog friendly but you would not know it looking at their website, they make no mention of it. Reviews are very mixed with too many of the negative ones indicating they faced long waits whilst staff stood chatting to each other and lots saying that the food was cold or in some cases raw!

There do seem to be better dog friendly pubs in Northampton. If you feel the reviews are harsh and you would like to stick up for the Lakeside please do leave a comment with your own personal experience.

Contact details:

Lakeside
2 The Lakes
Bedford Road
Northampton
NN4 7YD

Dog Friendly Pubs In Northampton – Summary

In this article we have tried to look at those dog friendly pubs that are close to the centre of Northampton. We welcome feedback from readers, whether that’s to leave a comment about one of the pubs mentioned above or indeed to recommend another that is dog friendly.