Wetherspoons to ban all dogs from their premises

All good things come to an end.

From Monday, value pub chain Wetherspoons will be barring all breeds of dog from its venues. Whilst the pubs have traditionally adopted a no-dogs policy throughout its 40-year history, it is the first time that the rule will properly be enforced. Not only this, but pups will not even be allowed in the beer gardens and outdoor areas of the pubs, and only assistance dogs are exempt from the rule, for obvious reasons. "Even well-behaved dogs can be unpredictable – every dog owner thinks their dog is perfect," Wetherspoons spokesman Eddie Gershon said. "We welcome a lot of children and families and younger children, in particular, can be unpredictable around dogs and many are scared of dogs. "We serve a lot of food. Unfortunately, not all owners are diligent over cleaning up dog mess." Wetherspoons’ policy on dogs states: ‘While we are fond of dogs, we permit only registered assistance dogs inside our pubs and hotels. ‘To avoid any confusion or unnecessary upset, please ensure that your dog is wearing the recognisable leash/collar or harness. It would also be helpful if you could bring along suitable documentation to explain the dog’s purpose. ‘A limited number of pubs do permit dogs on a lead into the garden and/or other external areas. Please check directly with the pub which you are planning to visit.’