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Large pub, rebuilt in 1892 as the Old Plough. The decor has been described as turn-of-the-century working-class grandeur with tall ceilings, mirrors and glass, oak and pillars. There is plenty of religious iconography; appropriate, given the proximity of Kensal Green Cemetery. The cemetery was the first of the great London commercial cemeteries to open, in 1833. Many famous Victorians were buried there and its fame influenced GK Chesterton, whose poem The Rolling English Road ended with the lines "For there is good news yet to hear and fine things to be seen, Before we go to Paradise by way of Kensal Green"!
Now the eponymous pub has live music nights, cabaret, film nights, and art shows. See their website for the latest Whats On (ticket booking may be necessary). The food menu specialises in home-cooked, locally-sourced dishes. There is a conservatory, and private dining rooms. Now operated by Urban Pubs & Bars. On Fri and Sat last entry is at 12.30am. Nov 2017 - No real ale in evidence and no beer engines on the bar.
Thye have a Members' Club - full details on website - "Become a Member at Paradise and enjoy 25% off all food and drink Monday to Wednesday"
Just a historical note that the pub was once owned by the Royal Brewery, Brentford (later acquired by Courage).
One star - A pub interior of special national historic interest
Listed status: Not listed
The surviving internal layout is the important feature here, with two large inter-connected rooms with a shared servery between them, a small reading room, and an even smaller snug on the right.
Rebuilt in 1892, this is an imposing three-storey building of red-brown brick, with stone mullioned windows (leaded glass in the upper sections) and a glazed stone dado on the ground floor. There are three external doors but only the large entrance in Kilburn Lane is in use. Above the dado in the external lobby in this entrance is a ceramic panel in bas relief of a scantily-clad lady picking grapes. But at some stage relatively recently the interior has undergone a revamp giving it a shabby-chic makeover.
Double doors lead into the main bar with a bare wood floor, a good moulded Lincrusta, or Lincrusta-style, ceiling, and a decorative frieze around the room. The panelled bar counter (with a modern zinc top) looks old. The plain mirrors in the two bar-backs (with a doorway for staff between them to move between the rooms) may be old, but the shelving looks modern. On the right-hand side is the cosy and intimate reading room with old dado panelling and a modern looking wood surround fireplace, and next to it is a tiny snug situated at the base of a staircase with two large decorative tiled panels of alternating plain and relief tiles.
At the rear is a large dining room, also with an old counter with a modern top, and also with a bar-back the same as those in the main bar. Around the walls in this room is fielded panelling that looks inter-war, plus a and a good wood surround fireplace that appears to be not in use.
Imposing and impressive three-storey corner sited building of red-brown brick from the late Victorian era (date of re-build of 1892 above the Regent Street door). It has stone mullioned windows (leaded glass in the upper sections) and a glazed stone dado on the ground floor. There are three external doors but only the large entrance in Kilburn Lane is in use. The external lobby has on the right-hand side above the dado a ceramic panel in bas relief of a scantily-clad lady grape-picking. There is a similar panel at the Rochester Castle, Stoke Newington N16. It has a matching interior of some opulence but has undergone a revamp with a shabby-chic makeover.
Double doors lead into the main bar with a bare wood floor, a good moulded (Lincrusta?) ceiling, and a frieze around the room. The panelled bar counter (with a modern zinc top) and two bar back fittings (painted a cream colour) with a doorway for staff between them may be old (difficult to date). Around the room is some fielded panelling. On the right-hand side is the reading room with dado panelling that might be old but the wood surround fireplace looks modern. Beyond is a snug situated at the base of a staircase with two large decorative tiled panels of alternating plain tiles and ones in relief. This area looks more like a lobby i.e. their unusual position indicates changes to the room.
At the rear is a large dining room with a modern bar counter and a plain bar back painted a light grey which might be old but more likely modern. Around the walls is fielded panelling that does look inter-war and a good wood surround fireplace not in use. There are at least three more rooms upstairs.
How much of the original fixtures and fitting remains open to question, and clearly there has been some opening up of the interior.
Paradise by Way of Kensal Green, North Kensington
Lunchtime Meals
Evening Meals
Live Music
Garden
Family Friendly
Dog Friendly
Function Room
Restaurant
Real Heritage Pub
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.jpg "Exterior. by Michael Schouten. Published on")