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Dordale Road, BROMSGROVE, B61 9JS

A food focussed pub, but selling a wide choice of real ales and other drinks. One of the village's three public houses. Image

Bromsgrove and the surrounding villages, including Bournheath, were once important centres of the nailmaking industry. It flourished from the 17th to the late 19th centuries, but then declined rapidly as it was not able to compete with mechanisation brought about by the industrial revolution. By the middle of the 20th century, at the latest, it had disappeared. The name of this pub reflects the past link between the village and the industry. Today Bournheath is home to many people who commute to work in towns such as Bromsgrove and Birmingham, as well as the home of retired people. Image

One of the three public houses in Bournheath. Around the middle of the 20th century the brewery who then owned it renamed it The Gate Hangs Well, which is quite a common name in the Midlands. However throughout the 19th century and much of the 20th it was The Gate. When the present owners acquired the pub in 1976 they reverted to this name. Like the other pubs in the village, the Gate at Bournheath offers a comprehensive food menu. Image

Throughout the 19th century and much of the 20th the pub was known as The Gate. Around the middle of the 20th century the brewery which then owned it renamed it The Gate Hangs Well. Possibly because this name is quite common in the Midlands, and also sometimes found as The Hanging Gate and The Gate Hangs High. It is thought to be connected to a pub's proximity to a church gate, toll gate or town gate, so perhaps there was a toll gate around here in the past. The sign in rural areas is sometimes a miniature five barred gate. On some signs there is also a verse, usually "The gate hangs well, and hinders none. Refresh and pay, and travel on". Originally the none was non and presumably the old pronunciation meant it rhymed with on. However, in the case of this pub, the verse was different, and ran: "The gate hangs well, To no man's sorrow, Pay today, And trust tomorrow". This verse could be seen on the sign at one time, but that disappeared twenty five years or more ago. In 1976 the pub was acquired by the present owners who took the decision to revert to the earlier name of The Gate. Image