Black-a-Moor pub drops name and sees major refit to become Lancaster Gate

The new look pub in Lancaster Road as the Black-a-Moor name is dropped Pic: Blog Preston

A Preston city centre pub is to change its name after nearly 200 years.

The Black-a-Moor in Lancaster Road is being rebranded as The Lancaster Gate in a major revamp.

Work began on the £283,000 makeover in late October and the pub on the corner with Old Vicarage and across from Preston Market re-opens on Friday (6 December).

Admiral Taverns say they are putting in new furniture, fixtures, fittings and outside new lighting and signage in the pub which dates to 1830.

Beth and Damian Hodgson, operators of The Lancaster Gate, said: “The pub is already looking fantastic and it’s been amazing to see how quickly it has transformed. We have really enjoyed working with Proper Pubs over the last four years and when the opportunity to take this site over came up, we just had to go for it.

“We’re both really passionate about giving back to our community so we plan on hosting plenty of events in aid of important local causes. We’re going to start by collecting food for a local food bank and fundraising to have a lifesaving defibrillator installed.”

The re-opening of the pub will see live music on Friday with The Stand Inns and Stone Cutter performing on Saturday.

The new look pub – now called The Lancaster Gate Pic: Blog Preston

Operations director of Proper Pubs, the division of Admiral the Lancaster Gate falls under, Matthew Gurney said: “I’m delighted to welcome Beth and Damian to The Lancaster Gate and I’m really looking forward to seeing it reopen. It’s been a pleasure working with them – their energy and passion is tangible and I am confident they will do a great job at bringing their vision to life.

“On behalf of the Proper Pubs team, we would like to thank them for their ongoing commitment to community pubs and of course we wish them the very best of luck in making The Lancaster Gate a fantastic social hub for local residents.”

Blog Preston asked Admiral Taverns why the name had been changed but received no response by time of publication.

The previous name of the pub had courted controversy, first when a stained-glass window feature ‘a Black Moor’ was removed and replaced with plain glass and in 2005 when a previous licensee proposed to change the name of the pub but decided against it after pressure from history groups.

A distinctive mural on the rear of the pub by Chris Dorning is being maintained in the refurb.

It’s the second pub in Lancaster Road to rebrand and re-open following The Stanley Arms becoming Stanley & Co in November.

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