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Random news of the day with Tris39
on the Pub Forum
Image posted by paulof horsham
Submitted on Monday, 12th December 2022
With picture contributions to 4602 other pubs
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Detail Pages
The Bull & Gate, Kentish Town, NW5
NW5
NW5 2TJ
Served areas
Reviews of The Bull & Gate (Average Rating: 6½ of 10) see review guidelines
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Bucking Fastard left this review about The Bull & Gate
I was impressed by the gin palace interior,it really should be inspected.A Young's house,there is a front saloon to the right with a real fireplace tucked to one side,a discrete sports flatscreen which will be screening live sport but otherwise off and views of the magnificent etched mirrored bar back.The light wood bar facing continues around a dog leg so that the other sections have bar access.There is a fine arched passage way to a snug type area below a grand staircase to the first floor loos ,a room for hire and a very small lounge.Further around the ground floor past some columns there is a sky light and then a formal rear dining room laid fully for service.Prints hang on all the walls and the overall feel is authentic and plush.There is also a weekly quiz and clearly this is a gay friendly pub with the barman sporting some fine nail varnish.
The 5 handpumps were offering Olde Rosie real cider,Youngs Original and Special and a decent St Austell Proper Job (NBSS 3.5,£5.60pp).Worth a squint around,another decent pub on the way up to the terrific Southampton Arms.
On 15th January 2022
- rating: 7
[User has posted 2727 recommendations about 2727 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Blue Scrumpy left this review about The Bull & Gate
I've walked past this pub many a time on my way to the Southampton Arms. I was making a similar walk on Monday, when I decided to give it a try.
The interior is certainly quite grand and spacious, with large ceilings. There is also an upstairs bar (the Boulogne Bar) which can be seen when using the facilities.
It was very quiet on my Monday afternoon visit. One other customer joined me not longer after I arrived at the front of the pub, with another 2 or 3 people sat at the rear.
Young's Bitter & St Austell Proper Job were the real ales. I was encouraged by the sight of Weston's Old Rosie, but apparently the pump was broken. Instead, I chose a keg beer - Two Tribes Metroland. This was very nice, but it certainly should have been for £3.50 a half pint!
Nice place, but the lack of atmosphere, lack of beer choice and exorbitant prices will put me off a return visit.
On 11th July 2021
- rating: 5
[User has posted 2452 recommendations about 2451 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Pub SignMan left this review about The Bull & Gate
Despite passing it on countless occasions, I’d never previously visited this large Young’s pub, so ahead of a gig at the nearby Forum, I decided to pop in and finally check out the ornate interior I’d heard so much about. You enter into the main bar area which is bare boarded and has an L-shaped servery to the rear. Bench and sofa seating under the front windows are good for a bit of people-watching along the busy road outside, whilst high tables and stools provide alternative seating options to the left. The bar has a smart dark wood counter, a nice gantry that appears to have lost a significant part during various refits down the years, and an amazing bar back with highly decorative etched glasswork, especially in some of the fine upper sections. The room also has an elaborate decorative ceiling, although the walls have been painted a dull shade of gastro-pub grey and decorated with cheap paintings and further adorned with TV screens which were showing live rugby union on this visit. To the front left, there is a small side room with a couple more tables and chairs plus some upturned barrels to stand around. Stairs here lead up to the Boulogne Bar, which I briefly popped into and seemed to be a good sized overspill room, which came in very useful on this pre-gig visit, although the implication was that this might usually be expected to be used as a dining room. Beneath the staircase, there is a decent sized space with more tables and chairs around a nice fireplace with another TV screen squeezed into one corner and an amazing octagonal skylight surrounded by a decorative frieze. This area then links back with the main bar area via a large open-plan area at the end of the servery. The right front section of the pub is an extension of the main bar area with a limited amount of seating and a continuation of the servery and its elaborate features. At the very rear of the pub, there is a large ground floor dining room with a concrete floor which has been partly covered with a big rug. Walls are a mixture of plain stone and wood panel and there is a nice vaulted ceiling with a skylight feature. Tables run in three rows through the room, supported by well upholstered chairs. An open kitchen dominates the rear wall and the room has some very attractive doors in smart frames. Rock music was playing at a modest volume, perhaps to appeal to the pre-gig crowd, although this was a Saturday night, so it may well be the norm.
Sadly, the grandeur of the pub couldn’t be matched by the handpulls, which offered Youngs’ Ordinary and Special, but saw the two guest pumps unclipped, with a real cider on the remaining handle. The Ordinary was pretty ordinary to be honest, but I wasn’t all that fussed as I was happy enough exploring this interesting building. The presence of two guest pumps gives some encouragement that better beer might be available at times, although it was disappointing that they couldn’t get either of these up and running on a Saturday night.
I have no idea why I slept on this pub for so long and I’m really glad that I finally took the plunge, as it’s a great old building that’s well worth spending some time snooping around. The limited beer range is the obvious inhibiting factor from making this a regular port of call, but I think I’ll be popping my head in again in the future on the off-chance that a guest ale or two might be on.
On 15th June 2020
- rating: 7
[User has posted 3114 recommendations about 3114 pubs]
View more reviews of The Bull & Gate (15)
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- Official site of The Bull & Gate - www.bullandgatenw5.co.uk
- Randomness Guide to London - Bull And Gate entry
- Facebook - Bull and Gate NW5
- CAMRA WhatPub :: The Bull & Gate - whatpub.com
- Historic Pub Interiors - pubheritage.camra.org.uk
Kentish Town West, 0.58 miles, 11 min walk (show)
Gospel Oak, 0.71 miles, 13 min walk (show)
Pub Details
Pub details supplied by members of this site to the best of their knowledge. Please check with pub directly before making a special trip.
- Accommodation : No last updated 09 July 2015 by Tris C
- Bar Billiards : No last updated 28 September 2013 by Quinno _
- Beer Festivals : No last updated 07 July 2018 by Tris C
- Beer Garden : No last updated 07 July 2018 by Tris C
- Car Park : No last updated 19 April 2015 by Tris C
- Child Friendly : Yes - Baby and parent mornings each Tuesday from 11.00 am. - last updated 10 July 2015 by Tris C
- Darts : No last updated 10 July 2015 by Tris C
- Dog Friendly : Yes - Doggy treats provided - last updated 21 July 2015 by Will Larter
- Function Room : Yes last updated 07 July 2018 by Tris C
- Hot Food : Yes last updated 19 April 2015 by Tris C
- Jukebox : No last updated 10 July 2015 by Tris C
- Karaoke : No last updated 10 July 2015 by Tris C
- Live Music : Yes - Jazz Wednesday - Sunday in separate bar. - last updated 10 July 2015 by Tris C
- Live TV Sports : Yes last updated 09 June 2020 by Pub SignMan
- Micropub : No last updated 19 April 2015 by Tris C
- Pinball : No last updated 10 July 2015 by Tris C
- Pool Table : No last updated 10 July 2015 by Tris C
- Real Ale : Yes - Young's. - last updated 19 April 2015 by Tris C
- Real Cider : Yes last updated 07 July 2018 by Tris C
- Wheelchair Access : No last updated 10 July 2015 by Tris C
- WiFi : Yes last updated 09 July 2015 by Tris C
