please note - reviews on this site are purely the opinion of site visitors, so don't take them too seriously.
A Loughborough institution if real ales your thing... Almost like stepping back a few decades. The bar on the right has seating around the edges and a tile floor. Amazing range of beers, virtually all of the Castle Rock range when I visited Oct 2014 (Elsie Mo, Sheriffs tipple & Harvest Pale). Recommended...
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Pub offering an impressive choice of real ales from small brewers. I enjoyed the excellent Lincoln Green Porter on my recent visit. Well worth a visit - 8/10.
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Unpretentious pub, great range and quality of beer. Accept vouchers from somewhere else....... Handy for the travelodge. Enjoyed my time in there. Highly recommended.
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Still a quality pub with a great range of beer. One of them (Elgoods) was past its best last week, but it was changed without hesitation for something else.
Always a welcoming atmosphere and good cross section of clientele.
Worth a visit.
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I was a regular in the late 80's as a student, occasional visitor when at local conf centre. Its still one of my favourite pubs anywhere.
Enter in the centre and go left for lounge and right for public, excellent beer selection, good staff. Wish it was at the end of my road.
Enjoy whilst such pubs last
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Great pub with a huge selection of beers and whiskey.
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A superb pub, by some margin the best in Loughborough, in my opinion, though the Generous Briton is getting good.
I look forward to visiting when I visit Loughborough (I live in London) and do so regularly. The Swan is all about the beer, with an extensive selection of well-kept real ales. On the very rare occasions that my pint hasn�t been tip-top the staff are only too happy to know.
The locals are friendly but not overbearing (head in on a Friday or Saturday and you�ll end up talking to someone!). Food is tasty and delicious, well priced. The Swan Chilli goes down very well indeed.
Am I being over-positive? Well compared to the many thousands of pubs serving average beer, �2.50 for a pint of award winning well-kept Harvest Pale is refreshing. One warning: pop in for one and you might still be there 5+ pints later, it goes down that well!
They have music and comedy events that are not usually my thing; however the set up of the pub means they don�t interfere with a pleasant pint.
In summary a thriving pub because of good beer and service; the Swan shows why so many pubs in the UK are going bust - they are rubbish in comparison!
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A pub we always visit in Loughborough but sadly this time the cellar cooler had packed up and the beers were warm (not off but warm) so the visit was slightly marred by that. However it's still good value - for beer and food and the range of ales was fine (Castle Rock/Goffs/Milestone/Great Newsome and a couple of others).
You can use your Castle Rock loyalty card in here - "1 over the 8" - a free pint when you buy eight (not all at once!!). Still worth a visit.
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Castle Rock pub. OK enough with decent selection of ales.
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Very nice pub! Usual great range of Castle Rock beers plus guests. Unlike a lot of other Tynemill establishments they're also big on food here. I recommend the hot steak baguette with curly chips!
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Is this the best pub in Loughborough ? - probably, with The Padget a close run second. You can't fault the quality of the beer and the choice of ales plus the staff are excellent.
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Oh we all loved the Swan in the Rushes last weekend. 15 years ago it was a cold, locals only juicer. Although it has retained a locals feel it has also broadened it's welcome to all clientele and this has resulted in a very diverse range of patrons.
The range of ales and ciders is simply excellent, easily the best you will find in Loughborough. They were even serving CAMRA 2010 Supreme Champion Beer, Castle Rock's Harvest Pale, a cracking drop.
They also had some lovely barmaids and a decent jukebox churning out good sound.
Great atmosphere, definitely worth a visit on the weekend although couldn't vouch for the week.
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An excellent range of beers and quick, friendly service, even though it was hindered by a large number of those irritating people who insist on hanging around the bar when not waiting to be served. Pub was very crowded on the Friday evening when I visited but still managed to find a seat on the large outdoor upstairs balcony.
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The landlord deserves a lot of credit for maintaining a diverse range, including a regular mild and real cider or perry. The Swan has regular Castle Rock beers on, including seasonal beers and ales. It is difficult to find a better range of real ale in Leicerstershire.
The downside is that the regulars are mostly an unfriendly bunch, who do not like newcomers or people stealing their chairs.
Overall, great beer, but not a good pub experience.
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Fantastic pub in Loughborough with really knowledgeable, friendly staff. The food is lovely, I can recommend the local sausages and the hot baguette is great value. About 8 cask beers on and the ones I tried were in fine condition.
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There may be better reasons for coming to Loughborough other than just to drink in the Swan, but whilst sitting in the relaxed and welcoming main bar quaffing an excellent ale like Sheriff's Tipple it's certainly hard to think of any. By keeping things simple, and using an intelligent approach to traditionalism this is an example of how good a pub can be once it is acknowledged that there are still plenty of drinkers who value alternatives to chain pubs or city bars. It's easy to imagine making many new friends here within just a short period of regular visits. Interesting feature is the illustrations along the corridor walls leading to the toilets and outdoor smoking area, I assume they're caricatures of the regulars. Trouble is you're too busy looking at these to notice the step that trips you up on your way. Heigh-ho , it should earn a laugh when you return to your comrades. An all round thumbs up.
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I attended their 22nd Birthday Beer Festival last weekend; my first visit to Loughborough and this pub. The stillage was upstairs in a weird sort of function room cum skittle alley - we arrived just after one o'clock to be greeted by plenty of seating and a smattering of older bearded gentlemen with pens ticking like bombs - just my type, hehe! Eighteen ales awaited my tasting plus more on the bar downstairs (all the excitment was on the first floor so I didn't even bother to check these out) and six draught continental beers with the usual cider suspects. The various barmen who served me throughout my (gulp!) six hour visit were all terribly friendly and helpful and I didn't have a green or off half all day. Overall it was a totally bizarre set-up, but a most enjoyable day out quaffing! Recommended.
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A cracking pub with unsurpassed Ales. The Landlord is a young scamp barely out of short trousers but boy does he know what he is doing! In my opinion this is the new breed, a pub that wants to serve excellent beer and great food to customers that deserve quality. They are not getting involved in this "Gasto" rubbish but focusing on what customers want. Everyone who has served me over the years has been friendly and professional - I had a slightly cloudy pint put on the bar and the bloke who served me drew MY attention to it, not the other way round. Suggested another ale of similar character, no mess no fuss AND they actually know what they are talking about.
I have been in about 6 times over 8 years whilst visiting family in the area. There is a great mix of locals and new faces and the food has got better with each visit clearly influenced by a new chef.
This is a must for any pub lover!
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Great pub, great beer (on the whole!). I've had a couple of 'bottom of the barrel' pints but usually the ale is on top form. Food also good.
I'd ignore stamford_drinkers review below, as he's obviously talking about the Swan and Rushes in Leicester!! To pop from the Loughborough pub to the Criterion (isnt a Criterion in Loughborough) would take over half an hour by car!!
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The Swan is, by far, the most welcoming pub in Loughborough - it's rare you will find a 'traditional' pub where a woman can go in by herself and feel comfortable. It feels like an extension of your own living room and, as for the beer.....well, the landlord takes such pride in his product that he will refuse to serve a pint that isn't exactly as it should be and the staff follow this also. I know a number of poeple who stay in Loughborough solely because of the Swan - it's like a magic pub!!!!! The new chef has brought the food back up to excellent form - in fact, I'd go as far as to say it's the best it's ever been! Keep up the good work, Ian, long may you reign!!!
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Nothing would induce me to go in there after hearing about the prices! Other places far better that will get my money.
anonymous - 31 Jul 2007 22:51 |
I came in here one late afternoon with my mother and girlfriend. The chap behind the bar was busy arranging salad on a plate and said he would be with us in a minute. We waited. And waited. And got thirstier. And the barman continued arranging the salad. After a couple of discussions within our group about whether to stay or go, we went. The barman was still arranging salad, and we went to the Criterion where we were able to get an excellent pint or two.
As a result I cannot recommend this place at all, despite the fact I walk past it every day on the way to and from work. Not a good pub experience as far as I am concerned and I will not be going back.
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fantastic pub - everything about it. Must go there!
anonymous - 22 Mar 2007 00:05 |
Love it! Nothing bad to say about this pub at all.
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Went in here after the Loughborough Beer Festival for a meal. Had the all day breakfast which was very good. Beer in top condition and quite a range available. Visited a couple pubs in and around the town the same day but this one is streets ahead of them.
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Great to see a non smoking room giving us somewhere decent to eat. Choice of ales brilliant at good prices. Enjoyed 3 Brains beers, Castle Rock Hazel and Batemans Valiant while having a lovely meal, also at reasonable cost. Friendly staff makes this THE pub to visit when in Loughborough.
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Four rooms of varying size (one non-smoking) and a decent menu. Ten quality real ales include a guest mild. Oh, and there�s accommodation too.
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Good Ale Prices. Ales are well kept. Bit Smoky but that will change soon enough. Staff was friendly enough. Very popular pub.
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Great traditional pub with superb range of real ales at good prices! Don't miss it!
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Great pub Good staff lots of great beers beerfest 9th-11th nov one not to miss!
anonymous - 6 Nov 2006 20:14 |
Boozers paradise, great atmosphere, fine selection of real and bottle conditioned ales and continental stuff, huge selection of malts. Good staff, gets busy, tiny car park, folk club some Sundays.
One not to be missed.
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ambient pub with excellent real ale
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This has got to be on your list when visiting Loughborough if you a seriously interested in real ale. I lived here for nearly 20 years and went back recently and all that had changed was the upholstery, thank God!
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A great drinkers pub. Always an excellent choice of draught and bottled beers. Always a friendly welcome from staff and the regulars.
The ploughmans lunches are large enough to keep you going all day.
anonymous - 15 Jul 2004 08:37 |
Very good pub indeed. Helpfully just where National Express buses drop off too.
anonymous - 9 Jun 2004 23:20 |
A splendid pub, and if you lose your best hat, it is kept safely for you awaiting your next welcomed visit..and you can't say better than that.
[Brian & Kath 1 April 2004.]
anonymous - 1 Apr 2004 17:16 |
Definitely the best beer in the whole of Loughborough.
There are in fact 3 rooms downstairs, with the "dining room" being a no smoking area. There's also the private room upstairs where skittles is played.
This is not a pub that you visit for the decor and ambience, it's a pub you visit for the beer alone.
The food used to be great too, but it's a bit variable at the moment since the last chef left. Oh for the good old days of nachos with whole roasted chillies.
Rich - 12 Mar 2004 08:12 |
