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Detail Pages
Old Swan, W8
W8
W8 4DP
Pub Type
Taylor Walker (Spirit Pubs)Reviews (Current Rating Average: 5 of 10) see review guidelines
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Graham Coombs left this review about Old Swan
An indifferent Greene King house which has gone for a slightly trendy/modern feel, clearly aiming at the sort of customers found in Notting Hill Gate. We were initially dismissed by the grumpy barmaid as the pub was 'not open', despite the door being so, but were eventually served a decidedly iffy IPA, and I suspect the alternative Old Speckled Hen might have been worse. Moving swiftly along...
On 9th March 2023
- rating: 5
[User has posted 3339 recommendations about 3276 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Rex Rattus left this review about Old Swan
I don’t think that this place seems to have improved now that Greene King operates it. It still looks every bit the typical Taylor Walker branded pub that it used to be. There are the usual tall tables/tall stools in the centre of the room; some normal tables and chairs round the edges; fruit and games machines flashing away with no-one interested in them during my visit; grey painted walls; and overly loud music being played. It’s still very much like a downmarket ‘spoons but without the cheap drinks.
There were four ales one – the Greene King pair of IPA and Band of Brewers, plus Doom Bar and Twickenham Grandstand. A fifth pump looked to have a draft cider “coming soon”, and a sixth was unclipped. There are food deals advertised on the usual glossy illustrated menu of course. Sometimes it pays to sit down and scrutinise the menu if you plan to eat as there are sometimes food + drink deals worth going for. But here the only real ale included as a £1.50 “add-on” to certain meals was the GK IPA.
This is a typically characterless chain pub, and far inferior to the Churchill Arms down the road. Unfortunately you can’t buy a sandwich in the Churchill Arms, whereas you can in here, which is why it got our custom.
On 27th March 2018
- rating: 4
[User has posted 2606 recommendations about 2520 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Just a quick pint, then I'm off left this review about Old Swan
Now rebranded as a Taylor Walker house, but little seems to have changed since my previous visit seven years ago. The interior of this single-room pub is more open than most, and it is brightly-lit with furniture and decor that is not too dark either. Six handpumps, offering 1730, Pride, Bombardier, Portobello Pale (£4.65) and two ciders.
On 8th March 2015
- rating: 6
[User has posted 8117 recommendations about 8117 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Andy Ven left this review about Old Swan
Medium sized single roomed pub just around the corner from Notting Hill tube station. The carpet and furniture reminded me a little bit of a Wetherspoon’s. I went in on a Friday lunchtime with 5 other chaps. In contrast to Tris C’s visit, Nora Jones was being played as background music.
The tap offerings included Stella, Becks, Carling, Kronenberg, Guinness, Magners, Staropromen and Estrella. On cask there was also a familiar line up of Ruddles County, Reverand James, Sharp’s Doom Bar, Hopback Summer Lightning and a decent Moles Brewery Tap (a dark, malty session bitter).
The environment was OK, it wasn’t a great place but it wasn’t bad either so I would be comfortable returning there if I was around the area and wanted a safe pub.
On 16th May 2012
- no rating submitted
[User has posted 244 recommendations about 240 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Tris C left this review about Old Swan
This is a large, open-plan pub and something of a tourist trap. Situated in the ground floor of a 1960s' block, the format is a bit Wetherspoons-ish. Music is loud and although there's a surprisingly large selection of ales, and at fair prices, this remains a soulless place best suited to the lost backpacker.
Not a place to avoid, but I cannot think of a good reason to return.
On 22nd July 2011
- rating: 3
[User has posted 1985 recommendations about 1951 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Pub SignMan left this review about Old Swan
This fairly standard pub is just a short walk from Notting Hill Gate tube station and presents a pleasant facade which tempted a group of us in for a late pint one weekday evening. The interior is open plan, with lots of bland furniture and fixtures seen in countless other pubs up and down the country. The bar is in the rear corner and offered Young's London Gold, Castle Rock Harvest Pale, Old Speckled Hen and London Pride, with Bombardier and Spitfire clips displaying 'coming soon' notes on them. My pint of Castle Rock was okay and was served by a patient barman who had to put up with countless changes to our large order.
The place was all but empty, but there was still loud pop music blaring out of the sound system and we also managed to get hassled by the pub drunk, neither of which helped to endear the pub to us. Not one to seek out, but they have a reasonable enough beer selection and I appreciate that we may have caught the place at a bad time, so perhaps worth giving a second chance, but there are a number of pubs within walking distance that offer a lot more.
On 25th November 2010
- rating: 5
[User has posted 3114 recommendations about 3114 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Steve C left this review about Old Swan
I quite liked my visit here on Friday afternoon although there were only about five other people in. The barman was very friendly and Greene King IPA, Bombardier, Pride and Old Speckled Hen were all available alongside standard and premium lagers.
There is a plasma screen up in the corner that was showing Sky Sports News, but I didn't see any sport advertised.
This pub is OK, but there are better pubs in the immediate area.
On 10th March 2009
- rating: 6
[User has posted 5238 recommendations about 5206 pubs]