Grand Junction Arms, Harlesden, NW10

David Walton left this review about Grand Junction Arms

Visited 08/04/25

Amazing for a Youngs traditional pub establishment there was no cask. The clips on the three handpumps in the front bar were all turned round, just the one hinting of former Original glories. The keg offering was Peroni, Pravha, Aspall, Stella, Neck Oil, Guinness, Estrella, Camden Hells, Gamma Ray, Madri and Asahi.

This is an epic scale but beer lacking Youngs venue on the Grand Union Canal with some picnic benches and parking at the front that reveals little clue on how extensive it is outside at the rear. The front bar is bare boarded and has velvet (red and yellow) banquettes around the outside perimeter with the wooden bar counter facing the entrance. Regular tables and chairs the other side thereof. Some tall tables and tall backed chairs between these seats and the bar counter. Nice lighting, although didn't get the effect in early evening with bright sunshine outside. A large TV on the left most wall was showing TV without commentary and instead a jaunty soundtrack was playing. The first part of the rear outside seating was on decking with some screens on the left edge and outside these to the left was a narrow strip with tables looking onto the canal directly and some steps down to some picnic benches on the canalside. Behind the front bar was a rear room also modern bare boarded with an apex ceiling and beams bejewelled in fairy lights not switched on during my early evening visit with its own bar counter (subset of the front bar keg and the same three unused handpumps). Similar seating configuration as in the front bar. Lots of portraits on the walls plus some landscapes. Behind the initial decked area is a much more extensive rear beer garden, some covering and some furled umbrellas, mostly with decking but with some artificial grass at the very rear. Regular events here such as quiz, comedy, music and open mic, I suspect it becomes even more heaving than on my low-key early evening visit. Epic in scale but epically disappointing on the beer front.

On 15^th July 2025 - rating: 4
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