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The White Swan (JD Wetherspoon), N1
N1
N1 1RY
Pub Type
J D WetherspoonReviews (Current Rating Average: 5½ of 10) see review guidelines
Tris C left this review about The White Swan (JD Wetherspoon)
Date of visit: 16th January 2022:
With Swan Yard visible to the rear, this was originally the Swan, dating back to the 19th century, destroyed along with the neighbouring Cock Tavern (rebuilt as the [Famous?] Cock), Highbury station and hotel and the end of Compton Terrace, killing 26 and wounding 150, when the area was struck by a German V1 at 12.46 pm on 27th June 1944; the current office building was built in 1962, with ‘spoons opening on 20th December 2000.
This used to be a bit of a kicking-off ‘spoons, but this seems to have been reined in, possibly due to the door staff. With the [Famous?] Cock next door, a McDonald’s, KFC and newly pedestrianised area, occupied by many of the less fortunate in life along with a mob of Deliveroo riders, this isn’t a great place at all and I only really popped in as I was busting for a pee, having studiously avoided a visit for 21 years. The interior is very large with a mezzanine, but it’s by no means the largest of the breed. It was almost empty and a bit tatty, with the descriptions below probably still applicable, certainly rather dated. A group of young drinkers was in, along with a very forlorn looking women sitting at a table, static and staring off into the distance.
The ale selection was poor too, the Greene King/Doom/Pride coven at one end of the bar, then two unused and just Ghost Ship and Sambrook’s Pumphouse at £1.25 a half and decent.
It you’re up for ‘spooning, the Coronet’s not far from here, likewise the Angel and are far better; with a short bus ride, the Rochester Castle has one of the best ale selections for quite some distance with, at the time of writing, Pumphouse at £1.99 a pint.
Rating: 3.
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A return the other night or two and the interior is still unchanged, but table clearing is now more efficient. Customers are greater in number with many younger drinkers, seemingly students but if so, from where I know not. The place is still staffed by many young girls, more interested in their phones and their perishing social network twaddle than serving customers, but an older - manageress? - was far more efficient and forthcoming.
What has changed though is the choice of ales and certainly the quality, with the likes of Sambrook's Pumphouse (nice), Windsor & Eton's Mandarin (excellent), Twickenham's Winter Warmer (excellent), Redemption's Fellowship (excellent) and Twickenham's Naked Ladies, also excellent and just £3.22 a pint, £1.40 less than at Sir Timothy's newly opened Captain Flinders and £1.60 less than at his Barrel Vault.
There has been an improvement here and this - believe it or not - with 'spoon's disposal of the nearby Coronet and Angel, has the best cask lineup in the whole borough, though not as good as N1's Wenlock, but that technically is in Hackney not Islington.
However, I just couldn't face staying here for an entire evening...
On 14th January 2024
- rating: 4
[User has posted 1985 recommendations about 1951 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Graham Coombs left this review about The White Swan (JD Wetherspoon)
Large modern Spoons with an almost seaside feel to it. The bright interior features a wavy design, repeated throughout, and a wavy balcony holding an upstairs area. For some reason they had 4 Nethergate ales on at time of visit, plus a couple of Sambrook's and the usuals. Quite pleasant on the whole, although by the time my friends appeared two of the beers had died and various of the food was off, which raises a query on the management and loses a mark.
On 5th December 2019
- rating: 6
[User has posted 3339 recommendations about 3276 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Bucking Fastard left this review about The White Swan (JD Wetherspoon)
A spoons set below a 70's office block,there is a small outside patio before entering the body of the pub.Spacious at the front,there is a curved balcony to the upstairs section and the bar also mirrors this curved design.The furniture is identikit 'spoons,while the rear of the building is a quieter section below a lowish ceiling.
Two ranks of five handpumps with the trio of doom GK IPA (doubled up),Abbott and Doom Bar leaving on my trip guests Truman Runner,Adnams Broadside,Sambrooks Junction,Westerham Olicana Single Hop (good nick) while Westerham Viceroy IPA was still clipped but I was informed had run out.Not too bad a range ,and not too bad an interior so worth popping in given that real ale option will be limited as you walk south on Upper Street.
On 18th August 2018
- rating: 6
[User has posted 2727 recommendations about 2727 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Real Ale Ray left this review about The White Swan (JD Wetherspoon)
The interior is looking very tired and dated at present and should be considered for a major refurb, due to its locality. The three coloured plastic patterned bar and wall areas, was in its day quite fashionable, but now looks awful and past its sell by, as a lot of it was broken or curling up. The pub on our Monday afternoon visit had the usual Monday club suspects roaming around with lagers and cheap wine. Nothing over exciting on the ale front, so went for Trumans Lazarus, which looked ok, but was giving me a sore throat drinking it. So didn't even finish it and headed to the Brewhouse and Kitchen across the way.
On 10th June 2017
- no rating submitted
[User has posted 3382 recommendations about 3381 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
custodian 42 left this review about The White Swan (JD Wetherspoon)
Standard Spoons with usual ales. Not a Spoons I'll be rushing back to I'm afraid.
On 19th January 2017
- rating: 5
[User has posted 1693 recommendations about 1691 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Moby Duck left this review about The White Swan (JD Wetherspoon)
A rather bland and featurless spoons,a rather spartan interior apart from some booth seating along one wall, the rest was a normal canteen style layout, Iwas going to say it all appeared a bit sterile, but that would have been untrue looking at some of the uncleaned tables, getting served in order was a hit or miss affair although the bar wasn't overly busy.Ten hand pumps with only six, not particularly inpiring beers were available,Abbot,Adnams Broadside,Trumans Runner,Doombar,Hackney New Zealand Pale Ale and an International beer I didn,t note the name of, the Hackney beer which cost me £3.45 was lacking in character. One note of interest was a blackboard informing us 1117 Real ales were sold last week along with 530 Craft beers and 304 hot drinks,no mention of normal keg stuff which I imagine would dwarf those figures,as a quick glance around the other 30 or so people sharing the room were all drinking Lager or Guinness as far as I could see leaving me as the only Real Ale statistic at that time.I only came in here to kill half an hour before my targeted pubs opened,I won't make the same mistake twice.
On 18th September 2016
- rating: 3
[User has posted 1872 recommendations about 1845 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Aqualung . left this review about The White Swan (JD Wetherspoon)
Visit 19th November 2015
I came here this morning for a breakfast on the way down to Euston. JDW do keep changing their prices as their Standard breakfast here is now £2.79 which is 20p cheaper than most. I had a large breakfast which was 10p dearer than the norm! The unlimited filter coffee was the standard 99p. I still wouldn't use this one for a beer as the standard guest ale price is now £3.05, although they did have a decent looking selection. The following day I discovered it was £1.65 in one one of their Lancaster outlets. Other food offerings were normally priced or just slightly more expensive. Score unchanged at 4.
Visit 24th October 2014
I dropped in here hoping to find any Spoons Festival ales I had not yet tried. I was immediately put off by the poster which showed that the festival ales were FROM £2.95. This is close to Central London Spoons prices so I took a quick look at the pump clips along the bar then walked out. Score reduced from 6 to 4. This one is now on my avoid list.
Visit 18th Jan 2013
This was the third pub on my crawl of N1 Spoons and probably the best, but with a reservation. It's a modern building conversion with no great appeal but they did have a good range of beers on offer. My only gripe was the price £2.69 for a 5% ABV guest which is 44p dearer than what I am used to.
It's handy if you fancy a crafty one whilst travelling on the Victoria or North London Lines as it is literally round the corner from Highbury and Islington station, but to be honest I prefer the Coronet which is a short bus ride away.
On 22nd November 2015
- rating: 4
[User has posted 2143 recommendations about 2143 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Rex Rattus left this review about The White Swan (JD Wetherspoon)
This seemed to be as standard a 'spoons as you can get. I didn't get the round in here so can't comment on the beer prices, but the staple traditional breakfast was £3.49, which is a bit more expensive than the 'spoons I regularly use in Raynes Park and Kingston. It's still good value at £3.49 though.
The front of the main room is furnished with tall tables/tall stools, with a large area at the back crammed with standard tables and chairs. All quite usual for a 'spoons. This one's main plus point is its proximity to Highbury & Islington station.
On 24th January 2015
- rating: 5
[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 The White Swan (JD Wetherspoon)
Very curious building (which was probably considered 'modern' in 1962 when built for the Working Men's Club and Institute Union). Most notable features are the indoor balcony and the covered terrace at the front with large glass doors that open right back in good weather. Ten handpumps, usually with a reasonable choice of beer (e.g. Portobello Star, £2.99, on my latest visit).
On 22nd November 2014
- rating: 6
[User has posted 8117 recommendations about 8117 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
hondo . left this review about The White Swan (JD Wetherspoon)
2 floor spoons that does what it says on the tin.
On 19th March 2014
- no rating submitted
[User has posted 2883 recommendations about 2820 pubs]