Pub of the Week: The Dodger, Chepstow Road, Newport

Our pub of the week for this first week in July is The Dodger, situated right in the heart of Newport city centre. 

Just a stone's throw from Newport County AFC's home ground of Rodney Parade, this family-run pub is incredibly popular with many locals, particularly on matchdays and weekends. This also extends to locals who prefer the rugby, with fans of Dragons RFC also regularly stopping into the Dodger for a pint on game days. 

The Dodger has a variety of food and drinks on their menu (Image: The Dodger) Current landlady Hannah Cook has been managing the pub for almost eight years, having taken over the reins in September 2016 alongside her husband after her father bought the pub for  them when it came up for sale.

She explained: "I've been in the hospitality industry, and particularly within bar work, for 30 years now. 

"I think we'd always considered running a pub, so when The Dodger came on the market in 2016, my father jumped at the chance to buy it.

"Now I work mostly at the front of the bar and kitchen side of things, helping with selling and that sort of thing, while my husband works in the background alongside his full-time job."

Although yet to win any awards, The Dodger has been highly recommended by pub and restaurant review site Restaurant Guru over the past few years. 

The Dodger has a range of pub favourites, including burgers and pizza (Image: The Dodger) The Dodger is also popular for its drinks, with favourites including Thatchers and Carling (Image: The Dodger) The Dodger is famous for its wide variety of different cuisines available, although many of their most popular dishes are beloved pub classics, including burgers, pizza, macaroni and cheese and a recent favourite for many, Hunter's Chicken. 

Alongside their food menu, they also serve a range of drinks, including Everards Beacon Hill and Sharp's Doom Bar. However, by far their most popular tipple is Carling, followed closely by Thatchers. 

The Dodger is also a popular place for events, including regular live karaoke and bingo nights, and also shows all live sports on a range of channels. There are some events being planned for later in the summer, but these are yet to be confirmed. 

When asked what makes The Dodger stand out, Ms Cook pointed out the "warm and friendly atmosphere". 

She added: "We pride ourselves on always being really welcoming and making people feel comfortable here. 

"The locals love it here, and on matchdays we can be absolutely packed."

The Dodger's roasts are also very popular on Sundays (Image: The Dodger)

There's also space for your furry friends at The Dodger, who are completely dog-friendly throughout, and even keep a stash of dog treats for all good boys and girls when they visit. 

Ms Cook offered some advice for people looking to support their local pub. 

She said: "We're a no chain pub and very independent. We love what we do and our locals. All support is welcomed, and I think that applies to all pubs, especially now. 

"We're also really open to people making suggestions for how we can make our pub a bit different and change it up - we want to be the local that everyone loves, so we enjoy hearing people's ideas."