That's where it gets sufficient sunlight to bloom - ways up there. The fence is blocking the sun lower down.

You can prune, train and tie in, if it does get sun during the day - you need to tie the flexible canes horizontally onto a trellis. However, some climbing roses are much more suitable for pillars, others more suitable for covering a fence or house wall, so to some extent its dependent on variety. Pruning and training info here

https://www.rhs.org.uk/advice/profile?PID=189

Thank you both for your prompt and helpful answers.
It would only really be the top part of the trellis that gets the sun, it is shaded by next door's house and another fence lower down.
I may have to put something else there that doesn't mind not having so much sun?
I inherited the rose when I moved here so I have no idea which sort it is. There is another rose next to it ~ a rather nice orange one ~ but same problem.
Thank you again.

A few varieties will be happy on a north wall so that might be worth following up. Also roses can be encouraged to flower by training the branches horizontally instead of letting them grow upwards. This encourages them to make flowering spurs.

That sounds more positive..........thanks Steragram, I am sure the 'zephirine drouhin' rose I bought recently said that. This is north-west facing but must be quite similar? I think I will need to be more diligent in training the branches ~ I am sure they grow when I am not looking.

If you decide to take your existing rose out and want to put another more shade tolerant one in its place, rose sickness is a real possibility, so to try to avoid that, use mycorrhizal fungi (you can buy it online, its called Rootgrow) when planting the new one.

Ah, thank you for that Bamboo...........didn't know about that.
Does this become a possibility each time you replace a rose with a rose?

Yes. No one yet knows for sure what the problem is, but its now believed to be something to do with symbiotic fungi working in conjunction with a mature rose which doesn't work well with a newer, younger rose. It doesn't always happen, but its common enough for it to be listed as a problem on the list of possible problems with roses. Rootgrow seems to help with prevention.

That's very helpful, interesting too..........thank you.

Oh, if you are thinking of replacing it altogether there are lots of helpful sites on Google that suggest suitable varieties too.

Thanks Steragram. ....There is already a clematis on it that does better.....just wondering if I should avoid a rose? Is there something else that flowers well in some shade?

Yes, but its not that exciting - Hydrangea anomala, prefers shady places

The white one?
I quite like it when it does well. Is it evergreen?

Sadly not I'm afraid - but it is self clinging (to a fence or wall) once its got going so doesn't really need a trellis.

Might have to do a little research. .... Thank you

I had a yellow one on a North fence and grew a blue clematis with it - a lovely combination.

Bamboo just wondering - might the hydrangea get so big it damages the fence?

They're fairly slow growing, and can be trimmed to keep in bounds - but if your fence isn't strong in the first place, probably not a good idea.Also if its next door's fence, its illegal to grow a plant up someone else's wall or fence (although nearly everyone does it and is unaware of the legality issue).

Yellow hydrangea Steragram? Advice on what to plant together is always welcome ~ I never seem to get that right.
The 'fence' is a trellis ~ recently replaced, it is quite a sturdy one and does not belong to next door.

Yea, yellow what Steragram?