The Cricketers

The Cricketers is a Victorian pub on Windham Road in Springbourne, Bournemouth — reputedly the oldest in the town — where dogs are welcome inside, making it a genuinely useful stop for anyone exploring the east side of the city with a four-legged companion.

The pub opens from noon daily, running through to 11pm on weekdays, 11:30pm on Fridays and Saturdays, and 7pm on Sundays. Weekend lunches are served, including roasts, so a dog-friendly Sunday roast stop is a realistic plan. Real ales are well kept, and the no-fuss atmosphere suits locals and visitors equally well.

With dogs settled under the table and a proper pint in hand, it's the kind of traditional pub that makes a town day out with a dog genuinely straightforward rather than a logistical puzzle.