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Landlords David and Stephanie Wilkinson, and bar dog Iggy, (front right) outside the Mucky Pup, in Angel, with a group of their regulars, celebrating winning Britain’s Most Dog Friendly pub award |
| Pub’s success gives paws for thought |
WHEN Islington landlord David Wilkinson calls last orders there is often a reproachful growl and yelp among the regulars.
For at the Mucky Pup pub, in Queen Head Street, Angel, the clientele don’t like being rushed off their paws while they are forced to lap up their drinks and gobble down their snacks.
The establishment, a stone’s throw from bustling Camden Passage, has been voted Britain’s most dog friendly pub of the year by the Dogs Trust (formerly the National Canine Defence League).
It’s a triumph for former IT consultant Mr Wilkinson, 32, and his former marketing manager wife Stephanie – not to mention their head bar-dog, bullmastiff-Great Dane cross Iggy.
The couple bought the pub with the proceeds of the sale of their home in south east London just six months ago.
They changed its name from The Ram to the Mucky Pup – and business is booming.
“I’ve always wanted a dog and I’ve always wanted to run a pub,” said Mr Wilkinson, who comes originally from Birmingham.
“Now I have both and I’m supremely happy, although it’s all an awful lot of hard work.”
David and Stephanie explaining the ethos behind the venture, said as children they felt deprived because they were never allowed to have a dog by their respective parents.
They obtained Iggy, now 10 months old, after setting up home together but discovered that many pubs didn’t welcome pets.
So they decided to provide a warm and welcoming venue for people who are mad about dogs.
“Most pubs will tolerate or accept the occasional canine under sufferance,” Mr Wilkinson said.
“We positively welcome and encourage people with their dogs. Locally, people like it because they don’t have to leave their pets alone at home or on a lead outside.”
Celebrating the accolade on Monday night were 10 regular canines and their respective humans, including Iggy, Joe, the Great Dane, Charles, a Staffordshire bull terrier, Peaches, a Sicilian mastiff and Pauline, a Maltese terrier.
But what about the noise, fights, mess and smell? “Occasionally an animal gets a little over-excited, and there’s an accident, but we don’t make a fuss,” Mr Wilkinson said.
“If there’s a mess, it quickly gets cleaned up and the spot deodorised with no questions asked. We’ve had no fights.
“The dogs are happy stretching out on the floor with a free bowl of water and a chew.
“The humans are happy too because we provide good beer and Stephanie is a great cook.
“We’ve even had people who have been recommended to come in because they have a dog phobia.
“They sit and drink beer among the regulars and have been perfectly relaxed.”
Clarissa Baldwin, chief executive of the Dogs Trust, whose offices are also in Wakley Street, Angel, was delighted that an Islington pub was the winner.
“There are a lot of dog owners in Islington but due to lack of open spaces there are few places to walk,” she said.
“People and dogs can live side by side even in inner city Islington providing there is understanding, respect and responsibility. People will tolerate well behaved dogs.”
Anyone wanting to find a venue which caters for their four-legged friends can log on to the Dog Trust website at www.dogstrust.org.uk.
Published:
Thursday 6th May 2004
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