Bury St Edmunds reaches Dog Friendly Awards finals for fourth year running

Bury St Edmunds is celebrating reaching the finals of the DogFriendly Awards 2026 in the Most Dog Friendly Town/City category for the fourth consecutive year.

The historic Suffolk town won the title of the UK’s Most Dog Friendly Town in 2024, having been a runner-up in 2023. It finished as runner-up again in 2025 and is now hoping to reclaim the title.

Run by DogFriendly Magazine, the awards recognise places and pet businesses that go the extra mile for the UK’s 12.5 million dogs and their owners. Winners in each category are decided by public vote.

Bury St Edmunds has its own Dog Friendly Bury St Edmunds scheme, helping visitors and residents find places where their four-legged friends are welcome. More than 150 businesses have signed up to the initiative.

Wherever the distinctive #dogfriendlybse paw-print logo is displayed in a window, visitors can be confident their dog will receive a warm welcome. The initiative, which covers the town centre and surrounding area, was conceived by Jon Kay, owner of Camp Tails Doggy Daycare, and a former Bury St Edmunds town councillor. Jon’s black Labrador, Loki is the scheme’s mascot. The scheme has since been developed and delivered through a partnership between Bury St Edmunds Town Council, Camp Tails Doggy Daycare, Our Bury St Edmunds BID (Business Improvement District) and Bury St Edmunds and Beyond.

Participating businesses in the town centre are also marked with a blue paw on the Our Bury St Edmunds BID town map, making it easy to plan a day out with a four-legged companion.

With welcoming accommodation, cafés and restaurants, attractions and plenty of days out to enjoy, Bury St Edmunds and its surrounding towns and villages offer plenty of reasons to enjoy a short break or holiday with the whole family, including its four-legged members.

Mark Cordell, Chief Executive of Our Bury St Edmunds BID, said: “We were absolutely delighted to win the UK’s Most Dog Friendly Town title in 2024, and to finish as runner-up in 2025 was another fantastic achievement. To reach the top three again in 2026 is a real testament to the many local businesses and organisations that help make Bury St Edmunds such a welcoming place for dogs and their owners.”

The winners of the DogFriendly Awards 2026 will be announced at The Kennel Club’s headquarters in London on Friday 20 November, St Edmund’s Day. Bury St Edmunds will be hoping to reclaim the title when the results are revealed.

Cllr Donna Higgins, Town Mayor, said: “I am delighted that Bury St Edmunds is in the finals for the fourth year in a row. The town’s dog-friendly scheme makes it easy for people to see which venues welcome their dogs. It’s wonderful to see how the initiative has developed and how many businesses are involved.”

The town’s offer continues to grow, with dog-friendly film screenings at Abbeygate Cinema, guided tours of the town for dogs and their owners, and the popular Dogs of the Cathedral calendar produced for St Edmundsbury Cathedral. The 2027 edition has just been launched, celebrating the town’s four-legged friends.

Jon Kay, from Camp Tails Doggy Daycare said: “We’re thrilled to be finalists alongside Cockermouth and Lymington, and proud of everything our town has to offer dog lovers. Whatever the result, it’s wonderful to see Bury St Edmunds continuing to earn recognition as a dog-friendly destination.”

To find out more about Dog Friendly Bury St Edmunds, visit www.dogfriendlybse.co.uk

For more information about the DogFriendly Awards, visit www.dogfriendly.co.uk/awards