Dog Inn, Whalley

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Sep 8

3 min read

Press relase July 2026

From The Dog Inn to Whalley Wine Bar: IMD's growing influence on the village

The much-anticipated refurbishment of The Dog Inn, Whalley, was officially unveiled on Friday 17 July, with the transformation receiving a warm welcome from customers and the local community.

The extensive interior and exterior refurbishment was designed and project managed by award-winning local interior design practice IMD, the same team behind the acclaimed Whalley Wine Bar.

The brief was clear: preserve everything people love about one of Whalley's best-known pubs while creating a fresh, contemporary environment that would serve both today's customers and the business for years to come.

Working closely with owners Lee and Jo McLoughlin, IMD carefully retained the character and heritage of the building whilst completely reimagining its facilities. Improvements include a new kitchen, upgraded audio-visual system, redesigned and enlarged beer garden, refurbished toilets, enhanced seating layouts, a more intimate dining area and increased capacity, alongside the return of much-loved features including the jukebox and pool table. Regulars will also be pleased to hear that the pub's popular homemade menu remains unchanged.

Stephen Yardley, Managing Director of IMD, said:

"It's not often you get the opportunity to redesign your own local pub. There was a real responsibility to respect what The Dog Inn means to the village while ensuring it continues to thrive for many years to come. The feedback since opening has been incredibly positive, which is hugely rewarding for everyone involved."

Owners Lee and Jo McLoughlin added:

"The design and support we received from Stephen and the IMD team has been exceptional. They listened to what we wanted, respected our vision for The Dog Inn and helped us bring it to life. We're absolutely delighted with the result."

Following the official reopening, hundreds of customers visited over the first weekend to experience the transformation, creating a busy and successful first few days for the newly refurbished venue.

The Dog Inn is the second high-profile Whalley hospitality project completed by IMDin recent years. In 2021, the practice helped design the award-winning Whalley Wine Bar on behalf of independent wine merchants Tom and Jen Jones, creating a venuededicated to authentic wine experiences.

Tom Jones reflects on the past five years; “We started the design ourselves but when we hit a creative block Stephen and the IMD team were on hand and instantly understood what we wanted to create. They didn't simply help design a beautiful space, they helped created an environment where people genuinely want to spend time. Five years on the quality and timelessness of the design still shows and that's testament to their creativity, attention to detail and understanding of the hospitality sector.”

Although both projects are visually distinctive, they share the same philosophy. IMD believes great hospitality design should improve business performance as well as appearance. Every project is designed to enhance the customer experience, improve operational efficiency, maximise the use of available space and support long-term commercial success.

With two of Whalley's most recognisable hospitality venues now carrying the IMD signature, the practice continues to build a reputation for creating interiors that respect heritage, strengthen businesses and become destinations in their own right.

The company hints that several further projects are already underway, with more local transformations expected to be announced in the coming months.

Circulated by To The Summit Ltd