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Submitted on Thursday, 14^th September 2023
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Requested be closed with reason - Other: According to the website, The Narrowboat has closed and is now a Fullers training facility.

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The Narrowboat, Reading

Pub added by hondo .

Gas Works Road
Reading
RG1 3EQ

Correct details

Served areas

Reading Central

Reviews of The Narrowboat (Average Rating: 6 of 10) Add Review see review guidelines

Please Note: This review is over a year old.

Quinno _ left this review about The Narrowboat

The Bel & Gragon brand was purchased by Fullers a few years back and, perhaps inevitably, it is being dismantled with this place having a name change and being Fullerised. A light makeover inside but not too dissimilar to before, whilst the sizeable canalside(ish) garden is now more geared towards topers. A little more emphasis on the drinking side at the bar, presumably in anticipation of the thirsty middle-class hordes who they hope to be descending from the new-build high rise flats over the way. Pints of Hophead (NBSS 4) and Pride (3) were the cask offerings. Might bother the GBG if they keep it up, the new landlady is from the Victoria in Binfield so comes with pedigree (no, not that one).

June 2017
They have extended the bar and there are now usually three local ales on. On a sunny day it's one of the best beer gardens in RG1.

September 2014
Mainly an upmarket restaurant, but gets into PuG due the (recently refitted and extended) bar area which usually serves up a hit-or-miss pint of Pride and/or Rebellion - which goes down nicely in the outside seating area/boat on a sunny day. Beer prices are surprisingly reasonable. Check out the little free museum a bit further up from the boat which features a fully-restored old gypsy caravan from the turn of the century. Takes a bit of finding but is worth a stop on a summer's day.

On 21^st November 2023 - no rating submitted
[User has posted 5552 recommendations about 5533 pubs]

Please Note: This review is over a year old.

Moby Duck left this review about Bel & the Dragon

A large retaurant and bar housed partly in a converted church and partly in a newish building tagged on to the side effectivley doubling the size, open-plan and quite modern inside and very much a restaurant,there is plenty of outside seating. There are three hand pumps on the bar,two beers were from Binghams,Brickworks and Marvellous(quite decent), the third beer being Rebellion Blonde.Not normally the type of place I would choose to drink but pleasant enough for a pint sat outside in the sunshine.

On 1^st August 2016 - rating: 6
[User has posted 2151 recommendations about 2118 pubs]

External web links for The Narrowboat

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Official site of Bel and The Dragon, contains menu and wine list - www.belandthedragon-reading.co.uk
CAMRA WhatPub - whatpub.com

Twitter - Bel & The Dragon

CAMRA WhatPub :: The Narrowboat - whatpub.com

Pub location see interactive map of local area

Map location corrected by Quinno _

Reading, 0.82 miles, 15 min walk (show)
Reading, 0.82 miles, 15 min walk (show)
Reading, 0.82 miles, 15 min walk (show)

Latest updates View all updates for The Narrowboat, Reading

23rd Apr 2024, 09:49

Request to mark pub as closed by Helen Iwanczuk approved

23rd Apr 2024, 09:15

Request to mark pub as closed submitted by Helen Iwanczuk, with included notes: Other: According to the website, The Narrowboat has closed and is now a Fullers training facility.