Meet the Publican: Lee Henderson, The Dog House

This week we put our ten questions to Lee Henderson who runs The Dog House pub in the centre of Stafford
What inspired you to run a pub?
It is safe to say I developed a love for pub culture during my Uni days. I started this business with a friend where I was going to run the kitchen serving hotdogs (hence the pub’s name). I have a long history working in the catering industry, and I finally wanted to get my own place.
Unfortunately things didn’t go as planned and now I run the business alone, and the kitchen is closed. I intend to open the kitchen again some day but it has been a battle to get things back on track since the lockdowns.
Why should people come to your pub?
We aim to be a community pub. I have seen many nights that start with random strangers in small groups, and end with the entire pub coming together over a heated game of jenga.
I would love to list all the wonderful things our pub has to offer, but at the top of the list would be our customers. We have a warm and welcoming customer base who come to enjoy the wonderful atmosphere. It’s our customers that make the place, we simply foster the right environment.
What will we find behind the bar to delight our tastebuds?
We have two handpulls. Recently with the warm weather we have one as flavoured cider (anything from honeycomb to white peach to cherry bakewell), and the other as a random ale. In winter we may revert back to having a light and a dark ale.
We have a LOT of spirits, ranging from a robust selection of single malts, to the weird and wacky such as candyfloss gin, pink rum, squid ink gin and many more.
We also have a large cocktail menu, and more importantly a large range of ingredients. If there is a cocktail that isn’t on our menu, or if you want to add a twist to your favourite drink, then ask away and we can probably cater for you (Jalapeno Margaritas and Chocolate Espresso Martinis have been popular requests recently).
Do you have any regular or occasional events?
We host open mic nights every Wednesday and have regular live acts on other days. Events are nearly always free entry, so people can just pop in without committing to a ticket
What are the best & worst parts of the job?
The worst thing about the job is the quiet days. Since opening after the lockdowns the footfall has been challenging. Nothing drains your energy more than being stuck behind the bar in an empty pub. On the flip side the busy days are when I thrive. I love the hustle and bustle of a busy Saturday night when I’m behind the bar. With such a small bar it can be quite challenging
The best thing about my job is that the business is constantly growing and adapting. We have goals for opening the kitchen soon, and possibly having a temporary bar upstairs.
You have a free weekend – what do you do?
A free weekend? Ha!
In the days before the pub I used to enjoy LARPing. Yes, dressing up in silly costumes in a field and hitting each other with latex swords. I don’t get much of a chance to escape the pub these days but I would love to start going again
Any funny moments you can share?
I’d tell you about mop-girl, but we don’t talk about mop-girl
What three words best describe your pub?
Cozy. Engaging, Authentic.
How could CAMRA (local & national) help support you?
Simply by encouraging its members to give us a go and to tell their friends
Tell us you best (or worst) pub joke
Why was the customer in The Dog House twice?
Because he stopped off at our pub on the way home

Thanks to Lee for taking the time to answer our questions.
If you run a pub in the Heart of Staffordshire area and would like to take part in a future ‘Meet the Publican’ feature, please get in touch