Wigan pub hosting special festive lunch for dog owners

The borough's dog owners will be able to enjoy Christmas lunch with their four-legged best friends thanks to a canine-friendly Wigan pub.
Dean McDonald and PeeblesDean McDonald and Peebles
Dean McDonald and Peebles

The Crooke Hall Inn will be the scene of the special Festive Lunch With Your Hound event created by landlord Dean McDonald.

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Festive Fidos and their owners will take over the cellar bar with the two-legged visitors enjoying a three-course set meal and the pooches tucking into their favourite nosh while receiving water and plenty of dog treats.

Dean McDonald and PeeblesDean McDonald and Peebles
Dean McDonald and Peebles

Wiganers are also being given the chance to land a free festive ticket to the dog-friendly lunch as animal lover Dean is running a light-hearted competition.

He owns a weimaraner-border collie cross called Peebles and, with cross-breeds like cockapoos and labradoodles all the rage, wants someone to come up with a suitable breed name for him, with the cleverest and wittiest suggestions in line for the prize.

Dean said: “We’re a very dog-friendly pub. You can eat with your dog in the front bar any time and we raise about £1,000 a year for Dogs For Good through selling dog treats.

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“We already have a couple of dogs’ group meeting in the cellar bar and we though it would lend itself well to doing a Christmas lunch.

“It’s a bit of a gimmick but it will be good fun. I’ve already got people only wanting to book Christmas Day in the front bar because you can take your dog in there.

“The owners will bring whatever they want the dog to eat and we will supply bowlers, water and a bag of treats. Dogs are all on different diets these days so I wasn’t going to try supplying dog food.

“Dogs of any size and shape as long as they are sociable are welcome.

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“I’m also going to give away two tickets to people who can come up with a suitable breed name for Peebles.

“People are always asking what he is and I haven’t gt an answer. It could be something that sounds like it could be the correct term or just something funny, whatever is best.

“It’s a good idea, these dogs like labradoodles and cockapoos. You take the best bits of different breeds. Some of them are now fetching almost as much as pedigree dogs.”

The festive lunch for dogs and their owners will be at the popular canalside venue on December 13, with food being served at 1pm. The bar will be open from 12.30pm.

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The whole place will be decked out for Christmas with a tree, plenty of festive decorations and a suitable musical soundtrack playing.

The Crooke Hall Inn already prides itself on being one of the borough’s best places to be a canine, with a shih-tzu owners’ club meeting there and a greyhound club also putting on events there.

The competition to give Dean’s dog a breed name closes on October 31.

To enter the contest, or to book for the festive dogs’ lunch, email [email protected]

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