Bull & Gate

389 Kentish Town Road
Kentish Town
LONDON
NW5 2TJ

• (020) 3437 0905
• Send an email to the Pub
• bullandgatenw5.co.uk/

Social Links

• Visit Bull & Gate on Facebook
• Follow @BullandGateNW5 on Twitter

Opening Times

Meal Times

12 - 10
12 - 9 Sun

Owner

Young's

About the Pub

Acquired by Young's in 2014 and closed for some serious architectural changes which have seen the loss of the live music venue but the creation of an upstairs Boulogne Bar which has a grand piano and complimentary live jazz every week on Friday and Saturday evenings. This is a nod to the pub's original name, the ‘Boulogne Gate’ coaching Inn - so-called to commemorate Henry VIII’s victory in France in 1544.

A fine Victorian pub, it still has some original fittings including some of the glass in the bar-back, and carved wooden detail in the arches over the doors. The lost music hall hosted many hundreds of live bands over the years, including Coldplay & Blur. It is now a dining room. Nearest tube and train - Kentish Town. A CAMRA Heritage Pub.

Historic Interest

Grade II listing:- Pub. Dated 1871 with minor later alterations. Architect unknown. Red brick with rendered dressings. EXTERIOR: Advanced ground floor houses the public rooms and main entrances with a curved return to the north where second door, large windows with decorative transoms have been replaced, and a pair of wide arches over the 2 main openings, that to the left with some later infill (formerly a shop here). All of this is richly detailed, including heads and leaves in the ionic capitals over the marble pilasters, the name of the pub spelled out prominently in the frieze and an eponymous bull and gate relief above the main entrance. Behind this are 2 further storeys of the building, of red brick with rendered detailing to rusticated pilasters and frieze, of 5 window bays with a central elongated Palladian style window under a half-moon shape plaque announcing 'Bull & Gate 1871'. The first floor windows have semi-circular shells over each one, and the brick is curved at both corners. Plaque to north side with date,architect and builder names is heavily painted. Side and rear elevations much plainer and more altered, including inserted C20 windows to rear. INTERIOR: Much of the original pub interior survives, such as the bar counter with pilasters and cornelled brackets, and the back bar with decorative glass, and cast-iron fluted columns with ornate composite capitals. The original plan form is also mainly readable, with the front public rooms divided by partition with Neo-Classical dressed arch, and a former billiard room to the rear. Also of interest is a strapwork embossed paper ceiling, wide arches with fluted pilasters, and Neo-Classical detailing around the arch (that to the rear alternating small medallions of bulls' heads with the vases), pedimented doorcases and hardwood vestibule, fruity grape detailing throughout, large skylight to rear and fireplace in front bar. To rear wall of main bar, a pair of wide arches, that to north with later bar extension now projecting from it, that to south with further pedimented double door into rear now used as a music venue, which has fewer features of interest. HISTORY: The Bull and Gate was rebuilt in 1871 on the site of an C18 pub, when it was apparently known as the 'Boulogne Gate' at this important 'pick-up-and-set-down' point for travellers in and out of London via the north. A 1904 photograph shows a show in the end bay, and a slightly different window and door arrangement, as well as a openwork parapet along the front range. SOURCES: The Fields Beneath, Gillian Tindall; Kentish Town Past, John Richardson; Buildings of England London 4: North. A fine Victorian pub in the Gin Palace tradition with exuberant internal and external detailing (including a bull and gate illustrating the historic name) and a well surviving quality pub interior, that furthermore has group value, particularly with the Assembly Rooms pub at the same historic junction.

Regular cask ales

This pub serves 2 regular beers.

• Young's Bitter
• Young's Special

Changing cask ales

This pub serves 3 changing beers.

In Oct 2018 there were beers from Hammerton & Sambrook's.

Source: National

Updated on 19/01/2020
Last surveyed on 17/10/2018
Branch responsible is North London

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