please note - reviews on this site are purely the opinion of site visitors, so don't take them too seriously.
The Swan is a Chef & Brewer establishment hidden away along the canal, a little way off the main road through Ash Vale. With its location, it was predictably popular on a nice bank holiday Sunday, especially the outdoor area. Not everybody was there for their meals. Drinks were expensive and I've been to Chef & Brewer pubs with better selections. Nevertheless, they did have Courage Directors, Greene King IPA & Mucky Duck & Hop Art Hoppy Blonde. I later discovered a handpull with Westons Old Rosie just around the side. Service was very slow. One barmaid who was serving walked off after I had been waiting for 5 minutes. She obviously something more important to do. But then at least she could have at least apologised for having to walk away. Perhaps a little training is in order. Nice enough chain pub spoiled by poor service and high prices.
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It's a Chef and Brewer so one would expect standards to be pretty good. The beer choice was good too, with 5 ales including an offering from the local Hop Art Brewery (Hoppy Blonde) Staff were friendly and attentive. Food was tasty and not overly expensive. Great location alongside the Basingstoke Canal
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I visited this pub for a meal and a pint, the beer (6X) was nice and my friends enjoyed their Bombadier however, it was quite expensive when compared with some of the other local pubs in this area. The staff were very attentive and accommodating, the service was quick even though the pub was packed to the hilt with people eating meals and there was a large group having a leaving drink. My burger was OK, not quite what I expected for the �9.50 that it cost and my friend scampi was rather a mean potion for what it cost.
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Now taken over by Chef & Brewer. The beer choice is dull and predictable (Doom Bar, London Pride etc. - no more TEA), the previously querky interior has had a bland corporate makeover in a horrble shade of grey/green and all the prints and ornaments removed. More serious thouh is that the number of staff seems to have been cut down. As a result, what used to be the best service in the area is now very slow. On our last visit, we walked out after 5 minutes without having been served and there were people who had been waiting longer than we had. Definitely not what it was under the prevous owner and it will take a lot of work to get back there. My firm used to take clients there for lunch. Not anymore.
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This is an ok pub but I am always disappointed when I visit - perhaps because it is hyped up so much by others. Yes, it has 6 handpumps for real ales but these invariably serve bitter, so no choice of beer styles! I have also often found my first choice is not available, but the pump clip is not turned nor is there any other indication the beer is not available.
Food is over-priced for what you get. This is something people rave about but I've had meals which look like they could come from any chain pub, where you could buy the same thing for half the price!
The pub is often very busy. I have generally found staff at the bar cope well with taking orders as quickly as possible, but sometimes there is a delay in receiving the food.
pinga - 30 Dec 2010 18:04 |
I have used the Swan for over twelve years now (although its not what you call a local) and have always found the landlord and landlady nice people. The established staff are always helpful although some of the newer 'teenage' staff do suffer with attitude but we were all young once! The beer is always good with several guest ales. The other day I had a pint of ale from the Hop Back brewery (Salisbury) which was excellent along with with a pint of their mainstay Courage Directors which was good. They are very close to the Hogs Back brewery and often have T.E.A on tap too.
I have not written about the Swan for over two years and just wanted to update people who have not been here for a while.
The pub is still not child friendly but I understand why children are not allowed after 6. As a father to three children the last thing you want when you go out is children running around your feet when you are trying to have a nice meal with the other half! However this brings me to the main part of this review.
The Swan has had a makeover. I have thought long and hard about it and I have to say that one of the enjoyable things about the previous Swan was that it was dark and nothing really matched. Different tables, chairs with beautiful Gothic candalsticks on the wall with wax running down them etc. It had character. Now it has been decorated with lighter coloured walls and the standard pub restaurant tables and chairs. To give you some idea of what I mean, when you now visit you expect a new door that leads to the new Premier Inn located out the back! I appreciate that we have to move with the times but after speaking to many people that visit the Swan, young and old the view is the same. Its now just a normal old 'chain' pub that you can find anywhere. Think Beefeater. They might as well allow children in now as it is no longer romantic. Shame.
This pub is mainly about the food and since I last wrote little has changed. The food is very nice until it gets busy and then they just can not cope. The teenage staff can not deal with constructive criticism and the prices just go up every year so much so that they are now comparable to 'London'prices. The makeover now includes a rather bizarre section outside for smokers with mirrors and pictures its almost as though someone from one of these many makeover shows has had a go at the Swan. In fairness I don't smoke but I guess it makes the poor wet and cold smokers feel as thought they are still part of the pub as they huddle together outside!
All in all a nice enough pub if you visit for the first time. Nice ales but nowhere to stand and drink them. Food good sometimes but poor on others (fish often overcooked).
The decor? I will leave that up to you!!
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I was sent here from the Greyhound because the Greyhound inexplicably had no food at a Wednesday lunchtime and didn't explain why not. Despite a completely full car park, there were plenty of empty tables inside (where were all the car owners?) and I enjoyed a good value meal with a nice pint of Broadside. Attentive and friendly staff, one of which was especially cute!
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Visited a couple weeks ago and the staff were accomodating enough. The food was fine, and the beer was as good as usual. I have to admit that I really haven't had the bad experiences here that some of the former posts reflect.
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Took some visitors there on way back to NZ.
Atmosphere and decor were great, food mediocre. The attitude of "Irish Mark" is to be commended. He certainly goes out of his way to please. Pity most of the other staff don't.
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One of my favourite Basingstoke Canal-side pubs. The food can fluctuate in quality, but the beer is always good. I've enjoyed several visits over the recent years. Seems like it's time to go back and have a look.
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Tight ship? Old Derek needs to be shown the door. Not pleasant for young families. They did away with the family side of things years ago. Good beer but food is over priced, over cooked and cold inevitably. Better atmosphere at Napiers. Take a lesson in bonhmie, Del Boy.
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Best service for a chain foodie pub I've ever seen. The beer is good and the prices reasonable.
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@slugbreff
Yep, 4 years old report. I've moved from ZaNuLabour's England to Oulu, Finland. (Where else can I get �1500/month dole ;-)
But, if Derek's still running it, and he keeps a tight ship, it would be worth an exploratory visit.
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Nice pub for food - not really a place to go if you just want a drink due to the constant crush of people at all times of the day.
The staff are young, plentiful and very friendly - you cannot fault them.
The food is good value, plentiful and has an upmarket feel about it for the price.
The beer garden is great for kids and as it is next to the canal, good for boats or Swan spotters or ramblers. Plenty of off-road parking.
There is always a new guest ale or two to sample here.
As a non-smoker, I would prefer that the eating area outside the pub was non-smoking and that the smokers area was located at the otherside of the beer garden away from the kids but I guess I am in the minority on that one.
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Really nice place for a family meal, office lunch or just a couple of beers after work. They've usually got a good guest ale as well as the regular draft like the local TEA from the Hogs Back. i think they've recently had a menu change and the specials I've had there the last couple of times (within the last month) have been excellent. The garden is really good here, and they've got a few patio heaters as well so smokers wont freeze outside. I love this pub, think it has a very welcoming atmosphere, it's often busy so get in early for peak meal times. Highly recommended.
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andycrofts - you're posting a review on a visit FOUR years ago?
Post something current . . . .
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Hope Derek and Anthea are still running it.
Damn good venue. Great food, but I was a bit amazed when Derek sold out to a chain, who required the staff to 'weigh the portion of peas'! Godalmighty, I'm on the dole, and when I cook, I just chuck a handful in the pan. Same as chips..
Still, if it's like it was 4 years ago, a must-visit.
Food excellent. Decor, staff, clientele, ditto. Won't be regretted, trust me.
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Great location by the canal, lovely garden, superior if slightly pricey food. Great choice of beers, Leffe on tap. Somewhere you'd eat out at for a special occasion, wide range of choices and extensive specials board. One of the nicest pubs in the area. As for lack of children's facilities, that's probably deliberate to keep away screaming bad tempered hyperactive brats. Besides the good food would be wasted on most kids.
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I must back up Slugbreff on this one. The Swan has been coasting on its past glories for quite a while now. These days I only go there when someone else insists. It's not my pub of choice any more. I still remember when it was great though, which just makes how rubbish it is now all the more annoying.
Sidknee as far as I can remember, The Swan has sold entry tickets for Christmas Eve for years and years. You used to have to go and promise the smileyest bar lady that none of your friends would be any trouble before she'd let you have any! Good times....
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Pepperharrow - its not like that now. Rubbish. Sorry.
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Christmas Eve Disappointment
This year my friends and I decided to chose The Swan for our Christmas Eve destination as it had previously been a very pleasant venue and we�ve had a good time. Unfortunately when we got there they were charging a high entry fee on the door for no other reason other than it being Christmas Eve. We were understandable disappointed by this and asked why this charge wasn�t advertised but we didn�t get anywhere. After a bit of discussion between ourselves we decided we would bite the bullet and pay to go in after being assured by the person on the door that spaces were limited to the number of tickets available. �70 worse off the group then sat down and had a good time between us, during the next two hours large numbers of people rejected the entry fee in favour of another pub. Knowing that a half empty pub this was going to hit the bar takings the idea was scrapped and people were let in free. Obviously I asked for a refund but I was told that everyone had paid for a ticket. Even as I stood and pointed at the people walking in without paying I got the same blanket response. I think The Swan is a lovely place but I would never go there again on principle and if anyone is planning to go there on a special calendar date I suggest you be prepared to line to pub�s pockets.
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Very sad to see The Swan getting such a slating from some quarters.
My better half & I did much of our dating there so I have fond memories of the place. Haven�t been lately because of little ones & credit crunch but I always had the impression of good people doing their level best under hectic circumstances, & some of the customers don�t make it any easier for them.
The night I proposed was a case in point. It was a packed Friday night & the bar staff had been at full tilt since we had arrived in the late afternoon.
While my card was going through the machine my brand new fianc�e & the rather splendidly proportioned bar lady were doing the female thing of cooing over the ring when a vertically challenged beer gut in a football jersey started bellowing at her because he had not been served immediately on arrival & didn�t seem to be able to discern that currently she was serving us & that there was a queue of people waiting.
He was handled with infinitely more grace than he deserved, & I remember thinking at the time that the staff can�t possibly be paid enough money to justify having to put up with such moronic treatment.
I�ve gone on for rather longer than I planned. Mainly I intended to say that some people are unreasonable & will always complain, & that there appears to be quite a few of those types on this site.
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Cycled along the canal from home near odiham to visit The Swan. Never again!! But that's the cycling part not the visit.
Pub was great, friendly staff and prompt service of decent food. Same paper menu as The Waterwitch in Odiham but different meals on the blackboards. Reasonably priced ales and a good choice.
Had to get friends wife to pick us up in 4x4 to get the bikes back though
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The Swan is a beautiful pub and the canal-side location makes it a perfect place for summertime get together's, whether as a couple or part of a larger group. The garden provides enough space for little ones to run around and balls are welcome which goes down well with my 2 horrors who aren't the type to sit still for too long!
The food is generally of a high standard and on the rare occasion you find it not to your taste, the staff are always willing to correct a mistake or change your meal for something else.
The Landlord and landlady have spent years building and maintaining it's excellent reputation and are dedicated and wonderful hosts and have worked tirelessly for years, through many ups and downs and changes.
As a past member of staff and a current customer, I consider myself to be very lucky to have The Swan within walking distance of my home. There isn't another pub that comes close to it in my immediate area and I would defend it's honour to the hilt!
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We had a meal here last night with friends. The orders were placed and a staff member came to the table to check the order. We pointed out that one of the meals was wrong. This was acknowledged by the staff member and our cutlery was placed on the table. Our meals all arrived together and the meal was still wrong. It took 20 minutes for the correct meal to be replaced. The offer of a refund and free desserts was good but, getting it right the first and second time would have been better. The vegetarian moussaka was dreadful and looked as though it had been cooking for days!
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I have long been an admirer of The Swan because I have always received good, friendly service. Last Wednesday I took my 3 friends from New York to The Swan for an early evening meal, and they just loved the decor and ambience of ther place. Despite being very busy with diners, we only waited 20 minutes for our meals. My friends were blown away by the quality of food, and friendly service. My friends from Rome always ask to be taken there on every visit here. A genuine recommendation.
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We went there this lunchtime, was very busy but are meals were very quick. No sooner had we ordered our meals were on the table! Very good service and a good selection of ales. I had the Hogs Back Tea and was very good. A very pleasant lunchtime experience
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i have just moved into the local area and was recomended this pub by my next door neighbor, i visited this pub for the fist time and found all the staff was very helpful and polite, our meals took about 30 minutes to cook and were very tasty, i will definatly come back, the thing i liked most was the swan seafood pie, they also have a great range of beers, looking forward to the sausage and pie week they have coming up
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I have lived in Ash for nearly two years, and used to "pop out" to the swan quite often for lunch or dinner, unfortunately over the last six months the "pop out" for a quick pub meal has resulted in us having to allow 2-3 hours!!
We decided to venture out for an extra 10 minute drive and now go the Royal Oak at Pirbright.
Come on Swan you may be the only pub in Ash it doesn't mean that people won't avoid you, now sort it out!!!!!!!!!!
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My biggest gripe is the ordering system which takes ages. There is always big queues and long waits to get anything. The food is hit and miss lately as well as bum-numbingly slow. The slapped arse faces don't do much for me either. The other day the ceiling was leaking water all over the place!
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Having frequented this pub regularly for 5 years it has gone down hill fast over the past year. This visit was last chance saloon as we have had rotten service and bad standard of food now the last 4 times. Duty manager kid didn't even pretend to give a monkeys when we spoke to him. An embarrassment for us who were taking good friends out for dinner. NEVER AGAIN.
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After waiting a rediculous amount of time and having complained once already they came over to ask us what we had ordered! The stressy waitress said we couldn't speak to the manager since he was cooking because they were shortstaffed in the kitchen. But surely the manager is in charge of how many staff are on in the first place? The bloke who reccommended this dive to us must be on crack.
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We waited an extraordinarily long time for our meals, and when most of them came they were far from worth the wait. The little blond poppet we complained to made all manner of pouty sad faces to comfort us, but being cross as well as hungry by now, we weren't the most appreciative of audiences. To be frank, we would have preferred more practical help. The duty manager came over eventually and made a big kerfuffle of deducting things from our bill as if he was doing us a favour in not charging us for the food we either hadn't received or we hadn't eaten because there was something wrong with it. Consider us underwhelmed.
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Went last night to meet a friend for a chat. Decided to sample the dinner menu too. Ordered at 8.40. Chatting away happily and dawned on us after about 50 minutes food hadn't arrived. At that point, a waiter checked to see if we had ordered, and main courses finally arrived at just before 10.00!! Profuse apologies from staff (although I hadn't actually complained... unusual for me :-) as we were having a good chat anyway. )Three staff served us at once, who then proceeded to offer us a free round of drinks and free desserts from the menu!!! The food was excellent when it did arrive, and the free desserts were acclaimed as "scrummy". What could have been a bad rating or this pub has actually transformed into an unusually high rating, as it appears that a genuine slip-up was made and the staff went out of their way to atone. Ended up with a very good impression on his occasion. The Hog's Back TEA was good too!
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The Swan is the best pub for miles around. They are in the enviable position of not having much in the way of real competition. The other pubs in the vicinity would be better served by improving their own service rather than posting ludicrous reviews criticising eberything about The Swan including it's "locals".
We did have a problem with our food recently and by the time everyone had flapped and panicked and conferred with their colleagues it was far too late to do anything useful about it. I got the distinct impression that they would prefer to take their chances with an unhappy customer rather than go into the kitchen.
Hopefully this proves to be a one off blip by new and inexperienced staff, and not the face of things to come.
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I was just in this pub the other night and it was a total waste of an evening!
The staff are not out right rude but don't inconvenience any of them with your service by all means. The kid behind the bar looked about 14 if he was a day. The locals are just frumps who don't know what decent food is and they're just as rude as the bloody staff.
The food is ok. Nothing special but not worth the prices. The pub isn't child friendly there are no children's facilities. Who would want to scar their children for life anyway...
If you hate cooking and are just looking for somewhere local to have a bit of grub [and your money means nothing to you] then this is your pub. But if you actually want to have a fun time out go somewhere else. What a bloody waste of an evening.
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Really like this pub, only been a few times recently, due to the fact it is very close for work.
Most times i go i have 6X which is always right temp, very nice. Tried food a couple of times, always been good. Staff have always been brill.
Went there for lunch on the friday just gone and im not sure if i was lucky with regards to waiting time on food, because the place was packed, we only just got a seat, everyone was eating, but the food was out within 20-25 mins, so no complaints there!
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My last couple of visits here have been dubious, but you know, office party season, changes in the line up, yada, yada.
But. If the miserable "thing" that eventually shifted her stumps to serve me a drink last night is representative of the new regime then gawd help us.
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Unfortunately the time I had at this pub was meagre. Before this pub became a souless chain pub/restaurant it was not too bad.
The Staff obviously had too much on their plates as the cutlery came after the food, which was a 40 minute wait. The pub is oviously not eqipped to handle as much custom it gets. On busy nights it's not unusual to wait up to 1hr 1/2 for your meal.
The food was very poor value. I was by no means expecting the Ritz but for �10 I got a handful of rice and some garlic bread which was shocking. When you eat out you expect to be served something better than what you could cook at home, not this time! The quality of food has taken a nose dive recently bfeore it wasn't such bad value.
The swan seems to employ very young staff so they may have just appeared more out of their depth than they actually were. When we asked to see the manager, we were sadly handled by a pretentious skin-head who dismissed our complaints very rudely.
Whoever says this is a good pub for children will find themselves sadly mistaken. No baby-changing facilities, and when I asked for a high chair I was told they were all taken. So there are not very many , as I didn't see many kids in there.
Locals are stand-offish and rude.
There is nothing special behind the bar apart from the Hog's Back T.E.A. This place would do better if it decided whether or not it was a Pub or a Restaurant. Because as it is, it is a mediocre pub and a bad restaurant.
anonymous - 13 Dec 2006 20:04 |
The Lovely Jackie's Leaving Do is on Sunday 26th November from 7pm.
If, like us, you are a fan of The Swan, but not a daily regular, you may not know that Jackie is leaving.
We were shocked to hear the news ourselves yesterday, but of course people change jobs all the time, and I am reliably informed that Jackie has been at The Swan for many many years even though we have only known her for a relatively short while.
We wish Jackie all the best for the future, and we will be there on Sunday night to raise a glass to her and her new enterprise.
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The Swan is a lovely pub next to a canal. The staff are nice and friendly and the beer is always good. No trouble with the local who are friendly too. The food is better now that they have cut down on the menu however when it is busy the food can be a little hit and miss. I have been to this pub over 100 times and the staff will always deal with your complaint professionally. A nice pub to take mum or girlfriend to(just don't tell the wife!)with plenty of room on a sunny day. This pub however is not suitable for children as they are banned from the inside after 6pm and there are no facilities for them to play with. So if you bring young children it is just eat and go! Can get very busy with waiting times for food hitting the hour mark! Great for a drink though. 7/10
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I think this is one of the better pubs I've been to in ages, certainly in this area. The atmosphere is excellent and safe, very female friendly.
The bad reviewers must have just been unlucky, but I went there to meet a client and it was superb even though it was heaving.
It's clean and unsmoky, the staff were all helpful and well trained. They couldn't do enough for us I thought, and the wine list is very good for a pub.
It maybe isn't sure if it's a pub or a restaurant, if there's any criticism, but I think it's pretty good at being both.
One of the things I really liked was although you could tell who was regular and who was new like me the landlady (?) and the bar man were just as smiley and friendly to everyone. I was a bit nervy about my meeting and the lady chatting away really put me at ease.
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I've always believed that it's the people who make a place & it's especially true of this pub. They have some of the best-looking barmen I have ever seen.
I always make the really bubbly bar-lady laugh when I tell her I don't know how she gets any work done surrounded by such fitties!
Perfect for a girly night midweek, or a weekend afternoon lazing in the beer-garden. Where - yeah - there might be children! Kids in a beer-garden at the weekend in the summer? Whatever next?!
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Nice pub, Nice people.
Drinks prices are cheaper than most other places I frequent, and the selection is massive. Hogs Back T.E.A. Directors, 6X, Youngs and an ever changing guest beer on pumps, Johns Smiths and Guinness if you like that kind of thing. Hoegaarden, Leffe, Staropramen, Kronenbourg, Stella, Fosters and Carling for the lager drinker, and a pretty good wine list all available by the glass or bottle.
Only lacking a decent selection of ciders (Strongbow only).
I don't agree with the comment below about this being a pub designed for families. When I go in the evenings I have never even seen a child on the premises.
I usually just go for a few pints, but when we have eaten there it has been great, and we have usually managed 3 courses for �20 each.
anonymous - 4 Apr 2006 18:34 |
We've just been to The Swan for a most impressive Mothering Sunday. My lord it was busy! The whole place had been decked out in an abundance of daffodils which was a marvellous surprise for all the Mums.
We don't visit The Swan as often as we might like because it is so incredibly busy that sometimes the worry about getting a table is just too stressful, and so we plump for somewhere less popular instead. Thankfully they have now instituted an organised seating system at busy times which is a vast improvement on the previous "free-for-all".
When we first arrived we were dismayed, if not exactly astonished, to find the pub packed to the gills with not a seat to be had anywhere. We were directed towards the lovely lady who always makes us feel so welcome, and she said that she had a list of people to seat before our party, but to have our drinks at the bar and she would keep us informed.
I explained that my grandmother is quite elderly and cannot stand for long periods, so a charming young man was dispatched to fetch the piano stool since it was the very last seat left in the building! When pressed to give us an estimate of how long the wait was likely to be, the lady responded with a smile that unfortunately she had left her crystal ball in her other handbag, but she felt that twenty minutes was a reasonable estimate.
Having glimpsed the length of her list I was somewhat sceptical of this claim, but we had already bought some drinks so we waited. True to her word, my husband had barely uttered the words "Those twenty minutes are up." when she reappeared, still smiling, having seated everyone else and ready to to lead us to our table.
As always we were most impressed with all the staff we encountered: They were all uniformly friendly and helpful. How they all remain so whilst under constant siege from ravening hordes of hungry and thirsty patrons I simply can't imagine.
In particular:
One of the young waitresses took both our drink and food orders, and popped back periodically to offer further assistance whenever we needed it. Is this the new standard or just her individual style?
Another young lady quieted a nearby toddler with the inspired offering of a handful of Jelly Babies. I don't imagine that is strictly part of her job description.
The young man who had brought the piano stool also checked on us during our meal and brought quite the twinkle to Grannys eye with his blarney!
Whilst chatting to the lady in charge again as she cleared our plates we asked her how on earth she kept her smile in place on a day such as this. Even as we asked, the plates were taken from her hands by one of the waitresses and the dessert board she had offered arrived as if by magic in the hands of yet another young man. "Oh it's not that hard." she said, beaming.
Granny insisted on paying the entire bill, and after meeting "yet another" lovely young man behind the bar she can't wait to go back!
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I used to really like this pub, but I've had two disappointing meals there recently.
One the cutlery did not turn up until well after our food and the other half the food turned up 20 minutes before the rest of it.
They seem to be too busy for the staff to keep up.
The beer is good though.
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An excellent pub with excellent food, I really enjoy coming here. It's especially nice sitting outside by the canal in summer.
I don't think the food is over-priced at all, as it is generally of an excellent quality.
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Unfortunately this pub has been transformed into a 'chain pub/restaurant'. The pub is geared toward people over 50, people under 15 and people with people under 15. The food is overpriced and you will have to wait a very long time for it (between 9 and 18 pounds for a decent meal made to sound superb, 1 hour wait + lunch and evenings). I also found the senior staff a bit rude with a sort of 'were too good' attitude. The aim of this 'pub' is to be a restaurant. What they have achieved is a restaurant for families and couples where you have to queue for your own drinks.
In summary:
If your between the ages of 18-35 and not out with a spouse or family to eat a meal avoid. the staff do not like people who are out 'just for a pint' and taking up valuable table space for diners.
The garden is nice in the summer but only if you can tolerate lots of kids running about screaming.
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This is my new favourite pub! Every time I go to The Swan it has been incredibly busy but all the staff seem so cheerful and exceptionally well trained, despite the fact that most of them seem pretty young and are presumably part timers.
When we first visited the lady behind the bar made us feel so welcome immediately that we didn't mind the wait for a table. She seemed to have it all under control and it was a pleasure to watch her "marshalling the troops".
Our food has always been of an excellent standard. The customers seem to be a good cross section and we feel very much at home here. The pub is very attractive to look at (as are most of the staff if that is important to you!) The patio area is particularly picturesque.
Midges could be an issue this close to the canal, but they have thoughtfully provide citronella candles in the garden to keep them at bay, plus patio heaters for the chillier evenings.
But please don't visit. It's already far too busy!
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Pleasant country style pub. Nice location, decent range of ales and wine. The menu was extensive and the food well presented. Tasted good too! As the other postings suggest, the service is of a high standard.
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excellent pub, very good looking regulars.
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A very popular pub that can sometimes get a bit too crowded so it can be a challenge finding a spare table. Food is quite good and the service is too. Large beer garden next to the canal but watch out for all the mosquitos during the summer.
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Excellent food and good range of beers. Has improved a lot since the non-smoking area was extended to most of the pub.
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The chain that owns The Swan (Chef & Brewer) has changed hands and as a result the menu seems to have shrunk by maybe half, still good food and excellent service though. But bad news for the smokers, the smoking area now consists of maybe 10 tables of various sizes, crammed into the raised area for those of you that know it!
Mark - 9 Nov 2004 12:40 |
Friendly enthusiastic staff, great food and the oreo cookie madness is to DIE for! Cozy setting with a humming friday night. Nice specials on offer and the oriental salad is fab! *****
Sarah Leus - 7 Jul 2004 22:33 |
large beer garden by the canal, with a very pleasant atmosphere. The staff are all spot on. There is a wide range of meals to suit all tastes. I recommend the swan - Definitely not your average pub.
Chris Haworth - 5 Jul 2004 17:16 |
This Place has to be a cut above the rest. Every time i go i'm deeply satisfied with the staff and their manor. The food is fantastic and the drink is spot on. VISIT THIS PLACE!
Ben Holt - 4 Jul 2004 23:20 |
A cut above the rest, with an excellent team of young, helpful and professional staff. The food menu is excellent with something to suit all tastes. I cannot think of anywhere that gets close to matching it in the local area.
Sam - 5 Jun 2004 18:15 |
All of the following are fantastic:-Staff, on all levels,Atmosphere,Food.....If you haven't tried the Swan you MUST.
sue gosham - 2 Mar 2004 21:20 |
A great pub/restaurant with a very friendly atmosphere. Wide range of excellent food and drink. Definitely worth visiting!
Sammie - 2 Mar 2004 19:25 |
The staff are absolutely fantastic, they are so helpful. They are what make this pub.
The food has a really good selection, and the drink is even better. I definately recommend this pub to anyone!
Kelly - 2 Mar 2004 18:41 |
Excellent choice of food, large beer garden by the canal, very pleasant atmosphere. Would recommend to anyone for somewhere to eat out.
Sarah - 29 Dec 2003 11:16 |
I have to agree with Derek - we recently moved to the area and The Swan is a highly rated, busy pub that serves great food (what a selection?!). By 12:30 on a Sunday there are queues into the car park! Staff are friendly and helpful.
Anna - 10 Dec 2003 14:28 |
I don't know where Richard Miller visited but his comments do not reflect my experience. The food is superb, the ales are varied and of high quality and the staff are most helpful and accomodating. Food is aleays served promptly. Definitely not your average pub.
Derek Taylor - 23 Oct 2003 14:46 |
Scottish and Newcastle pub. Most beers are of poor quality and overpriced. The staff are miserable. Try The Standard of England instead.
Richard Miller - 9 Oct 2003 15:28 |
A pub/restaurant with a large beer garden. Fantastic, well priced food, with many excelent specials, a great selection of beers and friendly staff. The decorations and music make for a very traditional, yet romantic feel. a great place to take your girlfriend/wife for a meal or even your family.
Pete Dunville - 8 Aug 2002 16:36 |
