We Are Dog Friendly

I always find it a bit of a chore when visiting someplace new to search online to find somewhere that allows me to take my dog.

I’ve been looking for a pub or restaurant to meet friends for lunch in Wetherby and after finding a great looking place, it didn’t state anywhere on their website that dogs are welcome, it was only when reading a review where someone mentioned that their dog loved the place, that I decided to book.

When Dennis and I opened Mocha 11 years ago, we were determined to be dog friendly – having a big Old English Sheepdog who sometimes slept at the top of the stairs while we worked, how could we not be?!  Mocha was a shop with no cafe at that point and the positive feedback we received was immediate.  At that time there were very few shops in Richmond that allowed dogs inside.

At that time we made the decision to skip flying for a few years and took the ferry from Newcastle or the Eurotunnel to the continent and drove around France, Belgium, Luxembourg, Germany and Switzerland and discovered some fantastic places with our dogs.

The continent is different to the UK – you’ll see dogs with their owners in department stores, cafes and under the table in most restaurants.  Locals used to look at us strangely when we asked if we could bring our dog inside their shop or cafe.

As a nation we are getting so much better at accommodating dogs – tourist areas are paving the way – the Lake District and Yorkshire Dales are very dog friendly.  Local businesses are quick to respond to customer demands and see how cafe and restaurant chains are missing a trick.

Sometimes it seems that everyone in Richmond has a dog! Dog walkers and groomers are booked up and vets cannot take any more clients.  Dogs are an important part of our local economy and we love it!

Both Mocha cafes welcome dogs and we make that clear on our social media pages and on our website – we even have a dog menu for goodness sake!