The Royal Oak

The Royal Oak is a strong Ripon pick for dog owners who want that classic “we have walked, we have earned this” pub feeling right in the middle of town. Set in a beautifully renovated 18th-century coaching inn in Ripon city centre, it combines food, drinks and rooms with an easy, polished warmth that still feels relaxed rather than stuffy.

It works brilliantly after cathedral wandering, market-square mooching or one of those days where the dog has been sociable, patient and therefore absolutely due a proper indoor settle. For visitors with dogs, it is the kind of place that makes the day feel nicely tied together: central, welcoming and very convenient when nobody wants to trek any further for dinner. Expect historic character, a comfortable base and one dog flopping down like they pay council tax here.