The history of the Ferry Boat has been traced as far back as 1822, when it is thought to have been called the Horse Packet. It was known as the Steam Barge by 1830, and in 1867 its name was changed to the Steam Packet. It was first known as the Ferry Boat in 1925. In the mid 1970s a second bar was opened in a converted boat shed at the rear of the pub. It was here that the pub began putting on live music. The Ferry Boat was originally a venue for cover bands, but in the late 1990s local promoters began booking their own nights at the venue to put on local originals bands, and touring bands from all over the world. Over the next few years the Ferry Boat became established as one of the most important venues for local bands, catering for all types of alternative music, with a leaning towards punk rock, ska punk, metal, hardcore and Post-rock. In 2005 a protest was held after the Ferry Boat faced losing its public entertainment licence due to noise complaints from residents of a newly built block of flats nearby. The protest was a success, and the Ferry Boat's licence was renewed. However the Ferry Boat was forced to close a year later in 2006 due to continued noise complaints and financial difficulty. The final gig was an all-day-long event featuring local bands with Norwich based five-piece Dragline closing the night to a sweaty room packed to full capacity.
Present
The Ferry Boat Inn is currently closed. In January 2010 the site was sold to the Borthwick family, who received planning permission to build Norwich Backpackers on the site. The development would include a micro pub as part of the building, along with a cafe overlooking the river and a cycle & canoe storage barn. The site was put back on the market in November 2013, when the Borthwick family decided to continue concentrating on their developments on the North Norfolk Coast, namely Deepdale Backpackers & Camping, rather than developing in Norwich. Details of the sale can be found on or . The future for The Ferry Boat Inn will be decided over time when a new owner takes on the challenge. In June 2014, it was reported that the Ferry Boat Inn had been sold for "more than £500,000" and that it might be turned into a residential development. A representative for the estate agents that handled the sale stated that it would not be a backpackers' site and that the new owners would "probably be looking for other, denser uses for the site".
Notable bands
The Ferry Boat's regular presence on tour schedules meant that many bands would pass through it before moving onto greater acclaim. Examples of bands and artists to have played the venue include:
