A SALISBURY pub has been named the best in the UK for dogs and their owners.

The public voted in their thousands in the Kennel Club's Be Dog Friendly Awards.

And the The Mill in the Maltings has scooped an award in the pub/bar category, with voting taking place during the summer.

Research undertaken by the Kennel Club found that there are many benefits to businesses being dog friendly, including an improvement to the overall atmosphere of a pub.

96 per cent of people said they noticed a better ambience when dogs were around, and boosted staff productivity and morale, with 90 per cent of employers observing a positive change after allowing dogs into their pubs.

The Mill assistant manager Emma Dodge: "Dogs are family and we treat them as such.

"They are welcomed like any guest, and having dogs in our pub makes a working environment more enjoyable.

"We will proudly display our award at the Mill."

Kennel Club secretary Caroline Kisko said: "Congratulations to the Mill, the winners of these awards are determined by the public and all of this year's winners are perfect examples of how businesses and public places can reap the benefits of being dog friendly."