Bridlesmith Gate facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Bridlesmith Gate

Bridlesmith gate
Location in Nottingham
Maintained by	Nottingham City Council
Coordinates	52°57′08″N 1°08′50″W / 52.9521°N 1.1472°W / 52.9521; -1.1472

A building at 5-9 Bridlesmith Gate, built in 1895.

Bridlesmith Gate is a popular shopping street in the city centre of Nottingham, England. It's a special street because only people can walk there; cars are not allowed!

You can find Bridlesmith Gate between Middle Pavement and Victoria Street. Other smaller streets like St. Peter's Gate, Bottle Lane, and Byard Lane connect to it. This street is famous for its many cool designer stores, like Reiss, Ted Baker, Flannels, and Kurt Geiger.

History of Bridlesmith Gate

Bridlesmith Gate has been around for a very long time, since the Middle Ages. That's hundreds of years ago! For a long time, it was the main shopping street in Nottingham. It was even part of a big coach route that connected London to Leeds.

In 1819, the street got some upgrades. It was repaved, which means new stones were laid down. Gas lighting was also added, making it much brighter at night. For a short time, people tried to rename it Bond Street, like the famous street in London. But the old name, Bridlesmith Gate, quickly came back.

Later, in 1852, the northern part of the street was rebuilt and made wider. Then, in 1973, most of Bridlesmith Gate became a pedestrian street. This means it's a safe and fun place for people to walk and shop without worrying about cars.

Exploring Bridlesmith Gate's Buildings

Bridlesmith Gate is home to many interesting and old buildings. Some of them have been around for hundreds of years! Many of these buildings have been changed over time. They started as houses or pubs and are now often shops. Let's take a quick look at some of the cool buildings you can see on both sides of the street.

Buildings on the West Side

• Some buildings, like number 4, have a fancy Italian Renaissance style. They are made of red brick with special stone decorations.
• The old Dog and Bear pub, built in the 1870s, used to be a lively spot. It had unique decorations like masks and wavy window frames. Today, it's been changed into shops.
• You'll find many shops along this side, including places like Ted Baker and ECCO.
• Some buildings, like numbers 48-50, are very old, from the early 1700s! They have been fixed up over the years but still show their history.
• Number 54-56 is even older, dating back to the 1500s and 1600s. It has been updated but keeps its historic feel.

Buildings on the East Side

The building that used to be the Hart, Fellows & Company Bank.

• Numbers 1-3 are shops and offices that were built in the 1870s. Today, you might know it as a Waterstones bookshop.
• Numbers 5-9 are shops that were built in 1895.
• Number 11 is a very old timber-framed building from the early 1500s!
• Bridlesmith Walk, which used to be called King John's Arcade, was built in 1882. Before that, there was a building known as King John's Palace there.
• Many other buildings along this side are now shops or cafes. For example, the building at number 19 is now a Caffe Nero.
• Number 25 used to be an auction house where things were sold. Now, it's home to shops like Hobbs and Joules.
• The building at number 31 was once the Hart, Fellow's and Company Bank. Later, it became a Cafe Rouge restaurant, and now it's a Boss store.
• You can also find places like Coco Tang, a cocktail bar and cafe, and many other shops like Argento and Tokenhouse.

Shops and Places to Eat

Bridlesmith Gate is a fantastic place to go shopping and grab a bite to eat. Here are some of the popular places you might find there:

Popular Shops You'll Find

Cafes and Restaurants

If you're looking for a place to relax or grab a snack, Bridlesmith Gate also has some great cafes and restaurants: