Samuels and Co Birkdale

Samuels and Co in Birkdale, Southport, is a smart all-rounder built around eating, drinking, shopping and gathering, which gives it a broader village-hub feel than a standard café or shop alone. Dogs are welcome inside, so the whole group can stay together whether you're stopping for food, picking up something good or meeting people without much fuss.

That mix makes it the kind of place that fits naturally into a slower Birkdale wander, with a slightly polished but still approachable air that suits the area well.

Nicely versatile and very much in the lane of pleasantly useful for several different reasons at once, all with paws included.