A HEREFORDSHIRE pub has revealed why it has banned fireworks for the past five years.
The Oak Inn at Staplow, run by Chris Howell and Heather Owen, stopped allowing fireworks after receiving feedback from customers.
The countryside pub is well known for welcoming dogs, which are allowed in three of its four bars and are often given treats during visits.
Mr Howell said the decision had proved popular with pet owners looking to escape noisy firework displays.
"We belong to all the Facebook groups, and the amount of people that want to escape the fireworks is incredible," he said.
"So we just thought, well it's nice for the dogs to come and go. If they live in an area where there's lots of fireworks, they can come here."
He added: "We wouldn't allow anyone to go into the garden to let off fireworks, and we find that it's very popular because people live in built-up areas and it's nice for them to come out."
The pub is also keeping Halloween celebrations low-key this year, with just a few miniature pumpkins providing an autumnal touch around the restaurant.
The comments come after the closure of a Government consultation on possible changes to fireworks laws.
The Government has stressed it is not proposing a ban but is seeking views on restricting some of the loudest fireworks, with certain products potentially only available to professional users.
Government figures cited in the consultation show more than 3,000 fires were caused by fireworks over a 12-year period.
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