What bugs me is when people say that dogs can't come in because of Health & Safety.  What a load of rubbish (being a bit polite).  As far as I understand, dogs are not allowed in food preparation areas so anywhere else is up to the owner.  Just wish they could be honest - or get their facts right.

animals by health and safty are not allowed in cafes or sandwich bars anywhere you eat, they can go in places that are drinks only ie.. your local pub that dosent have a eating area.they can go outside eating area's thou. when i was at college i worked at night as a waitress and the owner couldent let her dogs out into the pub because of the rules.it makes sence to , if you have a pet allergy you want to have a nice meal, you dont want to be sneezing everywhere . 

Well, I'm sorry but my local pub serves food in the bar and the lounge and dogs are allowed in both.  However, they have a separate restaurant where dogs aren't allowed - which, of course is quite reasonable.

I think the law only states that dogs are not allowed in the 'food preparation area' - ie the kitchen (although I know many pubs which serve food where the owner's dogs are in the kitchen) - there is no law about whether they are allowed in dining-rooms and restaurants - that is purely down to the owner of the establishment.
:)

at the time i was given a handbook to read on it . we are talking about 6 years ago ,they were voted the cleanest restaurant in the midlands .i can understand why dogs arent allowed in . id like to dine with my dog but really i dont think its enough to call the uk a nation of doggie haters its simply customer care most people dont want a dog jumping over them while eating not everyone can train dogs as good as some others , others are scared of dogs and they would be scared away others have allergies.

is this what you would all like to see coming to the uk ??
http://webferret.search.com/click?wf,are+dogs+allowed+in+restaurants+uk,,news.bbc.co.uk%2Fcbbcnews%2Fhi%2Fanimals%2Fnewsid_1773000%2F1773640.stm,,aol

Appreciate what you are saying BUT i go out for meals and have to put up with being blown cigarette smoke all over me and my food and kids running riot throughout the pub/restaurant with no discipline at all. My children were taught to sit at the table and not run all over the shop annoying everyone else. They are now 21 and 23 we still eat dinner together every night and we have a bottle of wine NO television and a decent conversation. I work in the travel industry and all this clap trap about dogs not being allowed in, is just that ...clap trap. I have seen some DISGUSTING restaurants and hotels and I wouldn' allow my dogs in in case THEY caught something! As someone pointed out it is at the discretion of the management and NO they should not be allowed in food preperation areas,(although they sit in mine!!)  I am going to contact holiday Inn and send the comments as they will be really impressed, I also know Moat Houses are pretty good at allowing dogs in. Obviously 56 replies later we all have our opinions but I guess it all started as I was HOPPING mad at being asked to leave the pavement!!
By the way I picked up my dogs poo tonight and some interfering old git told me to pick up another dogs poo that had been there for about a week and was all dried up and disgusting and NOTHING to do with me...who was it .. a bloody policeman who threatened me with taking me to court even though I was holding a bag full of poo!!!! he wouldn't listen to explanantions and I ended up picking it up. Honestly is it me!!!!!

i know exactly what you mean, i have a rottweiler, she is the most docile creature you could ever be fortunate to meet! sadly though, folks think that rotties are monsters, my dog goes everywhere with me! when we go into the town center i have people literaly running from here! it is really annoying! people hurl abuse at me, telling me that "those things should be keep locked away dogs like that!" why? i have 3 small children she loves them she is great! i trust her with anything and everyone, if she was dangerous (what a joke) i wouldnt have her a round folk!

Well as I said before owning a German shep I have the same...makes you mad doesn't it. my old boy is bullied by our two cats and at the tender age of 13 has just TOTALLY accepted a Bolognese toy dog puppy and loves him to death. he is such a sweetie and I love him to death but of course as he is a GS he MUST therefore have a mean nasty agressive streak! Oh well I suppose at 13 years old there is time for it to show yet....NOT!!
Actually neighbours had a rottie and that was a sweetie too, really great with their grandkids really protective and with the nutters about today especially with kiddies I know I would rather my shep or rottie was watching over them at all times!
As I type this the two dogs are cuddled up together in the sheps bed and are fast asleep with little un cuddled right into bigguns tummy...ah bless!!

I will also praise the Holiday Inn chain.

I stay in them a lot for dog shows.  They allow dogs anywhere but the eating areas, which is fair enough.  Mine are quite content to lay on the bed watching the TV while we eat :D

I would also like to praise the Eden Project, they have out of the sun shelter, with a water tap and parking very near to the site.  This is the only attraction I can think of that does cater for dogs.  Last year we tried to go to Alton Towers, no shade to park the dogs in.  Newmarket races, not a tree to be found to park under.  It really would not take much for these type of public attractions to put a bit of shade up for people on holday or out for the day with their dogs.

While I am on my soap box........motorway service stations, they are full of cars with dogs in, people on their way to dogs shows most weekends, holidaymakers, but not a bit of shade to be found.

Sandra