Prizes for pooches as Brakspear rewards four-legged friends

September 7, 2015

Henley pub operator and brewer Brakspear has set canine tails wagging as prizes are awarded to the first nine winners of its ongoing ‘Pooches in Pubs’ competition. The first top prize of a charcoal drawing has been given to Stephanie Hoogmoed and Simon Young, the owners of Kreios, a 2-year-old red merle Border Collie, photographed at the Hope & Anchor in Wokingham.

The competition, launched earlier this summer, invited dog owners to send a photo of their pet in any of Brakspear’s 50 or so dog-friendly pubs across the south east. The Brakspear team selected the best to win the charcoal drawing as well as runner up prizes of Brakspear Frisbees and water bowls. Pet pictures can be viewed atwww.brakspear.co.uk/woof.

The picture competition is part of a wider campaign by Brakspear to encourage customers to visit the pub with their dogs. All dog-friendly pubs have been given a supply of ‘dogs welcome’ posters and a handful of recipes for dog meals.

Brakspear marketing manager Emma Sweet said, “There’s nothing like a photo of a happy dog to brighten the day, so judging the Pooches in Pubs competition has been a lot of fun – though choosing a winner from all these cute canines wasn’t easy! The competition is continuing, so we look forward to rewarding more dogs and their owners later in the year.”

Stephanie, a regular at the Hope & Anchor, said: “I’m biased, of course, but I think Kreios is the most beautiful dog and deserves this win. It was so easy to enter the competition, I just took a photo and sent it on Facebook. And now we’ve won a charcoal drawing which will take pride of place at home.”

Hattie Gutzman, Hope & Anchor licensee added, “The Pooches in Pubs campaign is a good reminder that you don’t need to leave your dog at home to enjoy a pint at the Hope. Kreios is a regular and we’re delighted he’s the first winner.”

To enter the Pooches in Pubs competition, simply snap your dog in a Brakspear pub and send your photo via Brakspear Pubs Facebook, Twitter or Instagram. For more details, visit www.brakspear.co.uk/woof.

Pictures show: (top) at the Hope & Anchor Wokingham (l-r) licensee Hattie Gutzman; Kreios with owners Simon Young and Stephanie Hoogmoed and illustrator Saskia Frost of Frost + Dutch, who drew the portrait of Kreios (bottom) Fay at the Horns, Crazies Hill, who won a Brakspear frisbee