please note - reviews on this site are purely the opinion of site visitors, so don't take them too seriously.
Popped in yesterday just after noon with 3 mates on a bit of a re-union. �25 each in the kitty .
One person serving - quite a few in eating. Eventually got served after about 10 minutes from the choice of Arkells 3Bs or Moonlight. When that round was finished, we were completely ignored by the barman who though it more vital to put serviettes on tables and restock sauces! We left and the Queens across the road got the rest of the �100 kitty.
Very poor - or perhaps they just don't like drinkers?
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Popped in for a swifty while waiting for a train from the station opposite. Fairly pleasant, spacious venue with wooden flooring - no riff raff loitering at all. There were 3 beers on, one of which I can't remember, but the others were Arkells products - Moonlight and 3B. The 3B was in good, if not great, form and a surprising �2.80 a pint - pleasing.
Not worth going out of your way for, but fair enough for a quick pint while waiting for the trrains...
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Well known Arkells pub opposite the railway station in Swindon, it does what it does quite well without being spectacular. Having had a refurbishment around ten years ago to wooden floors etc., it's beginning to look a little in need of some new furniture, though not desperately so. Was called the Flag & Whistle for many years before that. As with many pubs, not as busy as it once was. Arkells 3B for �2.80 a pint this week... not too bad considering the �3+ pint is rife elsewhere.
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Firstly the beers, Arkells, the beer was in good nick and the Moonlight beer I had was tasty. The pub (bar?) itself is, quite frankly, a bit weird. Harsh lighting, decoration that is all over the place, some crazy flowery wall paper on one side, walls painted in a sort of shocking pink on the other. TV screens that no-one seems to watch, busy(ish) on a Satuday night full of mainly blokes all dressed the same and probably all within about 3 years of being 30, with a few fat middle-aged blokes in the corner. I only realised the bar was so big when I went to the bogs as it carries on around the back of the bar, there are magazines laid out for people to read. The music too was all over the place, with Stereophonics, Oasis and then an R&B track. I quite like this place!
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A spacious, airy and modern renovation of the old Great Western Hotel, and as such part of Swindon's railway heritage. The atmosphere was lively and the staff was pleasant, if a little amateurish. All that aside, the beer was well kept - Donnington Brewery Founder's Day was most enjoyable. There were also two Arkells on, but I didn't have time to try them as my train was due. Well worth dropping in while waiting for a train, or a good place to start/end a town crawl.
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Decent hotel bar, handy for the station.
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Surly landlord,sulky staff,untidy,cloudy low measured ales and full of office idiots who don't really know why they're there. Still to be avoided.
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Asked for a 3B's but it was off. New barrel was put on with by surly manager type with several tut tuts as if it was my fault it had run out. Less that adequate amount of beer was pulled through,though with no water to flush out the dregs of the previous barrel. Had to take the pint back because it was cloudy and got questioned and had the whole staff examine it before it was replaced by a clearer though less than full pint. Don't bother.
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Expensive, characterless, noisy, but handy for the station.
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Now much improved as Keith has returned to take the helm again after moving back from the Rose and Crown at Ashbury.
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Not as good as it used to be and the beer is FAR too expensive,interiror now looking tired and dated.
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Sounds strange i know but this place smelled like a hair-dressers when i called in last week, nice comfortable interior though n a nice pint of arkells, 7/10
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rpadam sums up why I don't like this place (except I do like decent Arkells; something getting harder to find), but then I wouldn't go to the Queen's Tap either...
Just not my demographic...
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The last post is very correct. Plenty of Arkell's ales here. Tried the JRA which tasted excellent. Welcome to anyone - not just people staying at the hotel.
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You wouldn't guess from the outside, but this bar has a bright modern interior and decent ales from the local Arkell's brewery. If waiting for a train at the nearby station, don't even think of going anywhere near the Queens Tap, come here instead.
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Not somewhere I use unless my train is delayed. This, along with the Queens Tap, is the closest bar to Swindon station.
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