Britain's most dog friendly pub the Bellflower in Garstang announces reopening date under new owners JW Lees

The Bellflower on the A6 closed on September 25 after it was acquired by brewer and pub operator JW Lees for an undisclosed fee. Join our new WhatsApp Community to get the latest news and top stories from across Lancashire directly to your phone

A complete refurbishment is under way and JW Lees said it expects the revamped Bellflower to reopen in November, though an exact date has yet to be confirmed. It had previously said it would aim to open ‘in time for Christmas trading’.

William Lees-Jones, managing director of JW Lees, said: “We are delighted to be acquiring The Bellflower from Marston’s and it will take our Managed Pub estate to 49 sites under company management.

“We have grown our business in Lancashire in recent years with the Boot & Shoe in Lancaster, which we bought from Daniel Thwaites plc and the Halfway House in Clayton-le-Woods, which we also bought off Marston’s.”

"We are seeing our footprint grow in the north west so that we now operate pubs from Crewe to Lancaster and from Holyhead to Holmfirth.

“We will be closing The Bellflower on completion for a complete refurbishment before we reopen the site in good time for Christmas trading.”

Who are JW Lees?

JW Lees is a seventh-generation family brewery company, founded in 1828 by retired cotton manufacturer John Lees.

The business runs 49 managed pubs, inns and hotels, and also leases another 87 pubs to JW Lees pub partners.

Why was the Bellflower Britain's most dog-friendly pub?

The Bellflower won the accolade of the official best pub for dogs in 2022 and 2023 at the Great British Pub Awards.

The family pub provided bowls of water, treats, tennis balls and even barrels of 'lager' and 'ale'.

It also boasted an ‘A La Barke’ menu which included sausages, burgers and shrimp, as well as a separate Sunday food menu where dogs could enjoy a roast dinner.