Exciting topic alert - any ideas for an alleyway gate?

[Thurlow]

We live in a terraced house and share an access alleyway between our house and a neighbours. We both have gates into our gardens at the end of the alleyway, and at the start of the alleyway there is a large locked wooden gate.

Our neighbour likes the security of that locked gate. However it only opens in one direction, so getting in and out of it with a pram and locking and unlocking it is a big faff. We've just had a new baby so would like to use the alleyway and backdoor most of the time, so we'd rather have something that was easier to use. However I appreciate the neighbour wants something big and secure, so they're unlikely to agree to a change unless it's something similar.

Does anyone have any suggestions of what kind of gate we could install that's a lot easier to use for us but still secure?

there is a hinge used on field gates that can open in or out, so you can drive stock either way. It is more expensive than most

They are made to fit quite substantial timbers, I have a feeling you would need an experienced carpenter to make up a gate to fit.

I have a feeling that an ordinary hook-and-band hinge can be made to open either way, but it would have to be done so it doesn't bind on the gatepost. I don't know how but an experienced carpenter should.

A wooden gate about 180mm high by about 900mm wide costs in the range of £90 to £200. There may be someone local who can make one. If not local there will be carriage costs.

You can buy ready-made ones in common sizes.

If you have a LB&F gate, the sides will be thick enough to accept a mortice lock, meaning you can open it with a key from either side. Arrangements with padlocks usually have a hole in the gate so you can reach your hand through, which is not very elegant. If you only ever want to open in from one side, padbolts are fine.

If it is not protected from the weather, it will need regular protective treatments. Even a small pitched rooflet will help.

You can also get outdoor steel gates, occasionally they crop up on ebay, but you will need a width that fits fairly well.