New pub in Kensal Rise?

Apologies for the lack of posts - my launching of yet another blog coincided with a very busy time at work and in the evenings.

Anyway, I have lots of reviews and suchlike to do, which I will try to complete in the next few weeks. But in the meantime, the exciting development in Kensal Rise is the closing down of the Banker's Draught pub on Chamerlayne Road for 'refurbishment'. The question is does that mean a lick of paint and some new furniture, or a whole new pub?

The signs so far are the latter. In a way I find this exciting - the Banker's Draught was not a pub I would have gone in normally (never say never), and its replacement (or even its renovated old self) probably will. But on the other hnad, when this kind of thing happens there's always an element of concern that the people who formerly went there will have nowhere to go, and in the place of a popular (or so it seemed) pub will come a non-descript loud bar full of braying 25 year olds.

Watch this, and that, space.

Update: The Chamberlayne Bar and Steakhouse gastropub. So it could be quite interesting. But they are advertising for a chef, so here's your chance!