Dogs in trolleys: visiting The Big Red Shed in Cleethorpes with Mouse

Most dog-friendly shop visits require a small act of faith the first time. You are never quite sure whether the welcome on the door matches the welcome inside, or whether staff will spend the whole time looking slightly pained. The Big Red Shed in Cleethorpes turned out to be the opposite of that — and a trip planned as a five-minute errand became half an hour of staff taking turns to fuss over a 2.5kg dog in a cushioned trolley.

That is essentially the whole story. But the detail is worth knowing if you are in the area with a dog and something on your shopping list.

What The Big Red Shed is

The Big Red Shed is a large DIY and general home store in Cleethorpes — the kind of place that covers everything you could conceivably need under one roof. If you live locally or are passing through the area, it is worth knowing about as a dog-friendly errand option, which is not something you can say about most big-box retailers.

The dog policy: in the trolley, not on the floor

Dogs are not permitted to walk on the shop floor at The Big Red Shed. What they can do is ride in a store trolley — and the store provides cushioned pads for the trolleys so your dog is not sitting on bare metal for the duration of your visit. That is a thoughtful detail, and it makes a practical difference.

The obvious consideration is size and temperament. At this point in her growth, Mouse weighs 2.5kg, which makes the lifting side of things fairly straightforward. But on the same day, another customer had brought in their Rottweiler — also in a trolley, according to staff — so the system is not limited to small dogs. That said, getting a large dog comfortably into a trolley is the owner's responsibility, and it is worth thinking through before you arrive rather than at the trolley bay.

The Rottweiler, staff mentioned, had been coming in since he was a pup and was a familiar face. They had taken his photo earlier that day. That is hearsay from a shop visit rather than verified store policy, but it does suggest the welcome extends beyond the very small end of the size spectrum.

What the visit was actually like

The plan was to buy two things. Ordinarily that would have been a five-to-ten minute trip, in and out. It took over half an hour. The reason was the amazing staff team. One came to say hello to Mouse, then went to tell a colleague, who came to say hello, and so it continued. Mouse was fussed over, cooed at and — if a 2.5kg dog can be said to lap something up — lapped up every minute of it.

As someone who was relatively new to taking a dog into shops at the time, there was still a background nervousness about whether the welcome would be genuine or merely polite. At The Big Red Shed, that question was answered fairly quickly. It was one of the warmest receptions going into a shop with a dog. Not tolerated — actually welcomed.

Practical notes before you go

The cushioned trolley pads are provided by the store, so you do not need to bring anything extra for your dog to sit on. Beyond that, the main practical consideration is whether your dog is comfortable being lifted into and travelling in a trolley. Some dogs take to it immediately. Others find it less appealing, and a shopping trip is not the ideal moment to find out.

Is it worth going?

For small-dog owners, the trolley system works well in practice — it is comfortable, the store provides what you need and the access is genuine rather than grudging. For owners of larger dogs, it is doable based on what staff described, but involves more planning on your part.

The staff welcome here was unusually warm. Most dog-friendly retail experiences fall somewhere between actively welcoming and quietly tolerating. This one sat clearly at the welcoming end, which matters if you are still building confidence about taking your dog into shops.

It is a solid, practical option if you are in Cleethorpes with a dog and something to buy. The errand might take longer than expected — but probably not for any reason you will mind.

A note on checking current details

The visit described here took place in March 2025. Dog policies in retail environments do change, so it is worth confirming the current position with The Big Red Shed before making a specific trip. Contact details should be available on their website or via a quick search.

The Big Red Shed in Cleethorpes allows dogs inside in cushioned trolleys, provides padded inserts as standard and — on the evidence of this visit — has staff who are genuinely pleased to see them. It is worth knowing about if you are local or passing through and want to run an errand without leaving your dog outside or in the car.

If you have visited with your dog, we would be glad to hear how it went — particularly if you have taken a larger dog and navigated the trolley situation successfully. Leave a comment below or find us on the TDFM dog-friendly shops listings.