The Lindsey/Red Rose Dog Friendly Review

You and your dog will find the warmest of welcomes at the Red Rose Inn. This great dog friendly pub is set in a gentle valley, not much changed from its more celebrated days in the early 20^th Century, when it appeared in posters to advertise the delights of a day in the countryside for the Great Eastern Railway.

The pub itself dates from the 15^th Century. A typical A-frame Suffolk hall house, the Rose lays claim to being one of the country’s oldest pubs. Arriving at the pub, the sign outside proudly announces that “Dogs are Welcome” and once inside, the country modern décor and layout offers relaxed dining for families and hounds. From the large gravelled parking area, access to the pub for disabled people is through the main entrance and up one small step. To the rear there is patio and garden seating, and a great big enclosed field where kids and dogs can play safely. In fact, the field is so large that the more laid-back dog owner may consider a stroll around it a country walk in itself (my husband included).

It is hard to know where to start praising this pub. The simplest way to describe it is that at the Lindsey Rose, the customer is king – which includes those customers on four paws. Acceptance of you and your dog(s) is utterly natural, and the staff’s easy manner belies the real attention they pay to each customer’s requirements. The pub is popular with ramblers and locals, cyclists and horse-riders; it must be one of only a few that offers a place for tying horses whilst their riders take some refreshment! Moreover, the visitors reflect the surroundings, which are dotted with footpaths and bridleways, and which offers great impromptu dog walks.

Like its sister pub, The Crown in Bildeston, just few miles away, the Rose offers a real treat of a menu. Late on Sunday afternoon when we visited, there were no bar snacks on offer, but scrumptious mains averaged £12 and a fantastic wine list started around £4 a glass. The menu offers real quality with beautiful beef, treacly sweet gravy and giant irregular Yorkshire Puds, all singing a hymn to great country food; and the service was friendly and quick.

A visit to dog-friendly Suffolk would simply not be complete without a visit to Lindsey; so long may the Red Rose team continue to thrive.

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