William, Kensal Rise

Large corner pub rebuilt in interwar years possibly by Trumans (original pub built 1837). A two-storey and attic building of red brick and stone on the ground floor with impressive chimneys. The fascia has ‘Wines’, ‘London Stout’, ‘Spirits’ and ‘Off Sales’ on the Harrow Road side and ‘Wines’ and ‘Spirits’ and more covered over on the Warfield Road side. Also a curved ‘William IV’ on the corner. Closed in 2014 it has been refurbished and reopened in 2018 with 15 guest rooms. It retains a lot of its original fittings in four rooms.

Front left door has a vestibule and leads into the large Main Bar with a bare wood floor, interwar fielded panelled bar counter with cupboard for servicing beer engines and a marble top added in recent years. The bar back is actually a close copy of the original one and painted a dark grey colour. There is a dado of interwar fielded panelling also painted a dark grey colour and a 1930s brick fireplace. Look for the coloured glass panes in the front windows.

At the rear left there is a wooden wide arch presumed to be interwar through which is another room with more interwar fielded panelling also painted a dark grey colour, and a 1930s brick fireplace. However, the bar counter is modern and there is a return section of the replacement bar back here.

On the corner is the Nelson Room connected to the main bar by a narrow arch cut into the wall in recent times. This has a vestibule from the disused corner door with a “Private Bar’ brass plate on it. On the exterior is an iron gate and a terrazzo floor in the exterior lobby. This small room has a quarter circle interwar fielded panelled bar counter with cupboards, a checkerboard tiled apron around the base, and a marble top added in recent years. There are two bar back fittings – a three bay one and a single bay one at right angles with an wooden lined arch for staff between them. Around the walls is a dado of interwar fielded panelling also painted a dark grey colour and a 1930s brick fireplace.

Beyond the Nelson Room is a red tiled lobby with blue painted fielded panelling and a staircase to the guest rooms on the first floor. The Clarence Room at the rear has another quarter circle interwar fielded panelled bar counter with cupboards, a checkerboard tiled apron around the base, and a marble top added in recent years. The three-bay bar back is from the inter-war period. This larger room with a bare wood floor is available for functions and has a better quality 1930s brick fireplace. The gents here have three interwar urinals but modern tiling.