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This pub really is going to the dogs
CAN I GET A DOGGY BAG?:Top, golden retriever Oscar pays Paula Leason, landlady of The Kings Head, for his pint of dog beer, while, below, Sox the Staffordshire bull terrier sniffs out a treat on the menu and chef Patrick Maunder brings Alfie and Dave their lunch. Pictures: Gary Longbottom
IT’S more a case of “Canine bleu” than cordon bleu at a Yorkshire Dales pub where the landlady has created a special menu for dogs –complete with their own specially brewed Dog Beer.
Paula Leason, 40-year-old landlady at The Kings Head, Gunnerside, Swaledale, decided to act after growing tired of watching dogs sitting forlornly at their master’s table salivating over their Sunday lunch.
She had tossed bits of left over roast joints to the many dogs frequenting the popular hostelry but with three dogs of her own – Bogart, Dave and Alfie, decided she could do much better.
And when she became friendly with a leading canine psychologist Clare Ackroyd the dream started to become a reality.
So from next week dogs with a discerning palate will be offered their own red carpet treatment with a printed A la Carte menu to choose from.
Sundays will be particularly relished by Man’s Best Friend.
For starters there will be a tasty appetiser of chew sticks or meaty strips followed by a delicious Sunday roast – Yorkshire pudding, beef, potatoes and a sumptuous gravy – all expertly made by her partner/chef Paddy Maunder, 43.
To finish there will be a dessert of chocolate drops.
And for a perfect dinner there has to be a refreshing drink to wash it all down with.
Step forward, Ms Ackroyd who has even managed to find Beaphar Dog Beer – a non-alcoholic, non-carbonated brew made with beef and malt barley extracts.
Miss Leason, said: “The pub is very popular with walkers and so inevitably we get a lot of dogs coming in.
“Paddy says I am ‘too soft’ but I started giving them chew sticks and it just developed from there really.
“I thought there must be a way of expanding on that and got chatting to Clare about it and this is the result – I think it will be very popular.”
Ms Ackroyd said: “As well as being good fun well-fed, well-hydrated dogs are better behaved so it is a good idea all round. At one time the idea of welcoming dogs to pubs was for the landlord to clean out an ashtray and pour some water in it for them so this is taking it up several notches.
“A lot of pubs in the Dales are dog-friendly but none as much as Paula and Paddy.”
The innovation has gone down well with regulars too as well including the landlord of the nearby Bridge Inn, Andrew Atkin, who joked: “I think it’s a great idea – I just wish I had thought of it first.”
And Bafta-award winning actor Rob Angell, from East Morton, Bingley, who owns a property in the village, said: “I think it will be a lot of fun and very well-received.
“All I want to know is whether they get a doggy bag to take home with them after they have finished their meals.
“Paula and Paddy have done a great job in turning the pub around since taking over recently.
“It had experienced fairly rocky times and there were fears it might close.
“It’s always been a great pub with lots of characters – including the dogs.”
Nancy Nowlan from Vancouver who is on a walking holiday in the Dales said: “I think it is cute, what a lovely idea,”
Her friend Kathy Brooks, visiting from Calgary, Canada, better known for horses and its famous rodeo than dogs, added: “It was a bit of a surprise when I saw the menus.
“It did cross my mind that it was a bit odd.
“We were looking for food ourselves but the first thing I saw was the dog menu!”
Ms Leason and Mr Maunder, both from Hull originally, took over the pub following a brief closure in 2009.
Gunnerside’s 44 residents were distraught as the pub – which dates from 1760 – is the hub of village life.
There is no grocery store and precious few amenities apart from some well-maintained lavatories.
As well as giving its name to a famous breed of sheep, Swaledale is home to a famous brand of cheese.
LONG HISTORY OF SERVING VILLAGE
The Kings Head began life in the late 17th century as a blacksmith’s with the smithy reputedly brewing his own beer as a sideline, and in the 18th century it became a coaching inn.
It served the farmers and lead miners for over 300 years, and for the last 100 years the tourists – and their dogs – who have come, in increasing numbers.
Fast forward to the present day and Paula and Paddy have big plans for the future. They are hoping to sign a 10-year lease soon. It is all a long way from 2009 when the couple had packed their bags and were all set to leave when they were offered the opportunity to run it themselves.
They grabbed the chance with both hands.
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