Saturday, August 10, 2013

The area of Little Venice in London

By Martin Johnson


Little Venice is a residential area of North West London built where the Regent's Canal meets the Paddington arm of the Grand Union Canal. The postcodes in this area are mainly W2 and W9. It is easy to access by bus or tube, the nearest station being Warwick Avenue on the Bakerloo line. Paddington Station is just one stop away and Oxford Circus can be reached in about 15 minutes.

You'll find the leafy streets of Little Venice are lined with stuccoed houses which are rather grand looking from the outside. There are also Victorian mansion houses and Edwardian red brick buildings. Canal boats line the waterways here, some are tied up two and three deep, but they are all different sizes, colours and designs.

Before the canals were built in 1801 this area of London was not very pretty. As the canals gained importance and roads were built around it, houses began to appear along the waterside. The Church Commissioners owned a large number of the properties, but the place was still run down and dirty until the 1950s.

After the Second World War, which saw so much destruction in London, this district was updated and slowly became the popular place it is now. Some of the splendid Italianate houses that used to be there have been lost, along with a number of Georgian terraces. The area behind Browning's Pool, which is a very wide section of the canal, has changed meaning there is less water there now. This goes unnoticed by most people, though, as there is still a lovely feeling of open space.

Tourism doesn't play a big part in Little Venice, but there are plenty of reasons for visitors to spend time here. The canals have long walkways beside them and these are popular with families, couples and dog walkers. There are swans, ducks and geese to watch and feed along the way. It's possible to walk to Regent's Park and London Zoo if you follow the tow path. There is a regular boat service which can be caught here too.

The Waterside Caf'e is a well-know eatery located on the water's edge. Nearby the Warwick Castle pub is another great place to stop. Other restaurants and bars are dotted along the tow path too. For the children there is a Puppet Theatre Barge, and a comedy theatre can be found a little further along.

Little Venice is dotted with individual shops with a local feel. Not too far away Paddington and the Edgware Road offer a larger selection of the high-street favourites. Church Street Market is not too far away either.

The area known as Little Venice is very pretty and close to all the city of London has to offer. Tourism hasn't reached here in big way so it remains a secret for the locals to keep. As it is a very desirable place to live for families, individuals and couples, the price of property has gone up considerably.




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