Yes there is. The flats used to be a public house called the Royal Oak and an access road and footpath went between the two pubs to connect Smarts Lane and Forest Road. The footpath still exists, although it is poorly signed, and it was a condition of the planning permission that the path be retained and unobstructed (EPF/2706/17 on the Epping Forest District Council planning portal)

The path on the map to the SE of the Victoria Tavern is not a public path, it is access to the Victoria Tavern car park to the NE of the pub (which can also be accessed from Forest Road through a gate).

Many other maps (eg Google Maps) have also mixed up the Victoria Tavern car park access road and the old public access road that ran between the two pubs. 