Dinnington Docks

10/10/2026

Today we said goodbye to Snowy, a long-standing member of the Docks team, our cellarman and, most importantly, our friend.

Snowy passed away tragically just a few months into his retirement. Today would have been his 65th birthday. His invitation to celebrate arrived the day before he passed away.

This morning, while cleaning the b**r lines, I confess I had a cry. Snowy always considered the cellar his own, and all I could hear was his voice saying, “You make sure you do it proper.”

Snowy was a kind, considerate man of few words. He didn’t need many. We had some lovely chats, particularly about one of his great passions, Formula 1. Football was never much use as a conversation starter with me!

He will be very much missed, and I shall certainly miss him.

But today isn’t just about saying goodbye. It’s also about celebrating his birthday, just as he wanted. A hog roast, music and a gathering of friends, colleagues and, most importantly to Snowy, his family.

So here’s to you, Snowy. Thank you for everything you did for the Docks, for your friendship and for keeping me in line in the cellar.

I’ll do my best to make sure I do it proper.

Happy 65th birthday, my friend. ❤️

From all of us at The Dinnington Docks.

10/10/2026

🍕 TUESDAY NIGHT IS PIZZA NIGHT AT THE DOCKS! 🍻

This Tuesday, 13th October, we’re welcoming back Barefoot Pizza Co. with their delicious, freshly made, stone-baked pizzas! 🔥

Proper pizzas, cooked right here at the pub, straight from the oven and best enjoyed with a pint of something good.

It’s what our Tuesday pop-up nights are all about — great food, good b**r and a proper pub atmosphere.

📅 Tuesday 13th October
🕔 5pm – 8pm
📍 The Dinnington Docks, Dinnington

No booking needed, just turn up, grab a drink and enjoy!

Dogs welcome, as always. 🐾

06/10/2026

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Well, this made us smile.

Drinks in the garden, a three-course dinner and, most importantly, a lovely evening had by all.

A huge thank you to Madie for taking the time to leave such kind words — and a particular mention for our team, who made everyone feel so welcome.

That’s exactly what we want The Dinnington Docks to be: a proper pub, good food, good people and somewhere you’re very happy to come back to.

Thank you, Madie. We’ll look forward to seeing you again! 🍻

05/10/2026

🐾 DOGS WELCOME. HUMANS ALSO ACCEPTED. 🍺

We’ve always said The Dinnington Docks is dog friendly… although judging by recent events, we may actually be a dog pub that allows humans in.

Our very own George the Airedale has been doing a bit of modelling for — using The Docks as his rather handsome backdrop. Clearly fame has gone straight to his furry head.

So, just to confirm:

🐶 Dogs welcome
🍺 Pints available for their chauffeurs
🥩 Interesting smells from the kitchen
🌳 Garden for important dog business
🐾 George available for occasional quality-control duties

Four legs, muddy paws, questionable manners… you’ll fit right in.

Proudly a pub. Very proudly dog friendly. ❤️

05/10/2026

🎹🎸 LIVE MUSIC AT THE DOCKS – THIS SUNDAY! 🍺

We’ve got The DuoTones joining us this Sunday 11th October from 4pm — and it’s FREE ENTRY.

Tom Read on keys and Ben Smith on guitar take some cracking songs from across the decades and strip them back to the essentials.

Expect rock ’n’ roll, soul, pop, blues and plenty of songs you’d forgotten you loved — all delivered with a bit of personality and, importantly, a good sing-along or two!

A proper relaxed Sunday afternoon at the Docks. Grab a pint, find a spot and enjoy some live music. 🍻🎶

📅 Sunday 11th October
⏰ From 4pm
🎟️ FREE ENTRY
📍 The Dinnington Docks

No tickets. No fuss. Just turn up.

25/09/2026

NEW MENU. NEW PUDDING. 🍫🍊

There are some flavour combinations that simply don’t need messing about with… chocolate and orange being one of them.

New on the menu at The Docks:

Chocolate & Orange Mille-Feuille
Dark chocolate crémeux, candied orange peel & Cointreau Chantilly cream.

Crisp pastry, rich dark chocolate, orange and just enough Cointreau in the cream. Proper pudding territory.

It’s one of the new dishes landing on our new menu — still very much a proper pub, just one that takes its food seriously.

Come for a pint. Stay for dinner.
And probably leave room for this. 🤪

📞 01460 52397 to book a table

22/09/2026

THE DINNINGTON DOCKS FOOD SOCIETY IS BACK 🇮🇹

It’s been a while — but on Wednesday 28th October, Food Society returns to the Docks.

And we’re coming back with Seasonal Italian.

Mitch and the kitchen team are putting together a multi-course menu built around the best of the season, with dishes including roasted fig caramelle with Gorgonzola and Dinnington honey; pheasant and pistachio terrine; crab and polenta raviolo with crab bisque; diver scallop with kuri squash risotto and black truffle; and 30-day dry-aged côte de boeuf with Barolo-braised beef rotolo, porcini and 10-year balsamic.

And we’re rather pleased that Laura from Sovereign W**es will be joining us for the evening, introducing the w**es we’ve selected to accompany the food. 🍷

This isn’t intended to be a stuffy w**e dinner. It’s Food Society — great ingredients, ambitious cooking, some really interesting w**es and a room full of people who simply enjoy eating and drinking well.

Wednesday 28th October
From 7pm
£95 per person

Places are limited and booking is essential. A £20 non-refundable deposit per person is required when booking.

📧 [email protected]

The final menu and full w**e selection will follow shortly — but book now if you’d like to join us.

It’s good to have Food Society back. ❤️

The Dinnington Docks, a timeless country pub serving fine real ales, ciders and w**es complementing a menu of classic British dishes freshly produced from locally sourced ingredients. Good food and drink well served.

22/09/2026

“It always tastes better at the Docks…” 🍺

David, we might have to put that above the bar.

This was his first ever review, and what a review to receive.

A first-class Sunday lunch, a pint of Butcombe, sitting outside in the sunshine and, in David’s words, “we were in heaven.”

But it’s his comment about the b**r that really got me:

“Butcombe… always tastes better at the Docks than elsewhere.”

I’d love to say that’s just the magic of the place — but there’s actually a lot of hard work behind a good pint.

We care enormously about our b**r. How it’s kept, how it’s conditioned, the cellar, the lines, the glass it goes into and ultimately how it reaches you at the bar.

Most of that effort is completely invisible. The pint shouldn’t be. 🍺

And perhaps that’s what a proper pub is about. Doing all those little things properly, whether anyone notices them or not.

Then David finishes with:

“If you have not visited the Docks yet do not delay. You will NOT be disappointed.”

David — thank you. Genuinely. That’s one hell of a first review. ❤️

And if you fancy finding out whether the Butcombe really does taste better at the Docks, there’s only one way to find out…

Come in for a pint — or make a proper job of it and book a table. 📞 01460 52397

21/09/2026

🍷 THE DINNINGTON DOCKS W**E CELLAR IS HERE…

And we thought the best way to launch it was to open some bottles.
On Wednesday 14th October we’re holding our first Five W**es · Five Plates evening — and officially launching the Dinnington Docks W**e Cellar, our new collection of w**es available to buy from The Docks and enjoy at home.

🥂 A glass of fizz on arrival
🍷 Five carefully selected w**es
🍽️ Five small plates, each created to pair with the w**e

Joining us for the evening will be Laura, our w**e expert from Sovereign W**es, who’ll introduce each w**e, tell us a little about where it comes from and, importantly, why it works with the food we’ve put alongside it.

But don’t worry — we’re not turning The Docks into a w**e school.
You don’t need to know anything about w**e. There won’t be a test at the end. Just come along, taste some really good w**es with some really good food and perhaps discover a new favourite or two.

And if you do find something you love, you’ll be able to discover more from our new Dinnington Docks W**e Cellar.

Wednesday 14th October
6pm–8pm
£50 per person

Places are deliberately limited and advance booking is essential.
☎️ 01460 52397
✉️ [email protected]

Five w**es. Five plates. And the first taste of the new Dinnington Docks W**e Cellar.

20/09/2026

🍺 B**R REVIEW — APEX BREWING CO. REV HEAD

Now this is a proper pint.

Rev Head from Apex Brewing Co. in Dorset is a 4.5% Red Ale, and it’s absolutely cracking.

Beautiful deep ruby colour, a proper malty backbone with caramel and toasted notes, then just enough hop bitterness to stop it becoming sweet or heavy. Smooth, balanced and ridiculously drinkable.

It’s the sort of b**r that reminds me why I love trying b**rs from smaller independent breweries — loads of character, but without trying too hard to be clever.

Would I have another? Absolutely. In fact, I probably will. 🍺

Another great Dorset b**r discovered while S-Cargo and I are out exploring the West Country. 🚐