The Victoria later became the Narrow Boat before it burned down.
The ’Vic’ was the first building on the right when crossing the canal going north along Ladbroke Grove.
Its start date as a hostelry is unknown - the name (both "Victoria Arms" and "Queen Victoria") suggests that it was of 19th century origin though it is not marked as a pub on the 1900 map.
The Victoria was a very small establishment. It stood just next to a ’dingy’ staircase and alleyway which formed a short cut between Ladbroke Grove and what was Church Place – handy for the bus stop for the number 18 bus along the Harrow Road. The toilet for the pub was down a stretch of notorious steep steps. Also down the stairs was a small beer garden.
Church Place is now called St John’s Terrace and the right of way is still there.
In later years it became called “The Narrow Boat” and was a Fullers pub. As The Narrow Boat, the landlords were a husband and wife: Wally and Renee. Wally was a taxi driver as well as a landlord. The pub fell into disrepair when Wally retired.
It was a regular in the Good Beer Guide. Sainsbury’s needed a wider bridge for their lorries to stock their new store on the site of the gas works. So the bridge had to go and so did the pub.
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The Victoria later became the Narrow Boat before it burned down.
