Dog-lovers have voted a Suffolk town the most dog friendly in the UK. At an awards
ceremony in London this afternoon Bury St Edmunds was named the UK’s most dog
friendly town after winning silver and the crown for English towns last year.
The DogFriendly Awards recognise and reward dog friendly places and
pet businesses that go the extra mile for the benefit of the UK’s 12.5 million dogs and
their owners. Winners of the DogFriendly Awards in each of the categories are
chosen by public vote.
With more pet owners now taking their pooch on holiday with them, Bury St
Edmunds has developed its own dog friendly scheme to help visitors and residents
easily identify where their four-legged pal is made welcome. Around 140 shops,
eateries, places to stay, attractions and more have signed up to the scheme
meaning they can display a blue paw print logo sticker and water bowl.
Chief Executive of Our Bury St Edmunds BID, which now includes the town’s official
tourism brand Bury St Edmunds and Beyond, Mark Cordell said: “It is fantastic that
Bury St Edmunds not only reached the finals for a second successive year, but has
gone one better and is now the most dog friendly town in the UK. On behalf of all
the businesses, thank you to everyone who voted for us.
“With Bury St Edmunds welcoming dogs in many of our businesses, there are a lot
that go the extra mile offering items on their menus, free snacks for dogs and more.
It means that residents and visitors know that they can stay longer in town and don’t
have to leave their four-legged member of their family at home because many of our
local accommodation businesses offer dog stays too.
“In addition, this last year the town’s tour guides have started to offer dog friendly
tours to visitors and St Edmundsbury Cathedral, which is also dog friendly, has even
published a dogs of the Cathedral calendar for 2025 so there are even more reasons
for waggy tails all round.”
Jon Kay, from Camp Tails Doggy Daycare, who founded the town’s dog friendly
scheme with help from Bury St Edmunds Town Council, Our Bury St Edmunds BID, and Bury St Edmunds and Beyond, added: “I was honoured to represent Bury St Edmunds at the awards ceremony again and so proud to receive the award on behalf of local businesses and a passionate group behind the scenes going over and above to make our canine chums welcome. It was an amazing day although we had our fingers and paws crossed right up until the announcement. I’d like to thank everyone who voted for us and recognised all that Bury St Edmunds does to be dog friendly.”
For more information about Bury St Edmunds Dog Friendly Scheme visit
www.dogfriendlybse.co.uk or watch the video on YouTube, which gives a real dog’s
eye view of the town.
For more details about other things to see and do and where to stay visit
www.burystedmundsandbeyond.co.uk