Bank Of Swans, SW4

This pub still has its original layout, with the Public Bar on the right; the separate Saloon Bar on the left leading to a third room at the back, signed as The Monksfield Lounge. This looks like an inter-war, or possibly just post WWII fitted pub to me, with some plain wooden panelling on the walls, and plain wooden doors, that all look original. The Public Bar has a pool table and probably a dartboard – it’s that sort of pub – although I didn’t see one. The Saloon Bar and Monksfield Lounge are both carpeted, with some standard rectangular tables, some banquette seating, basic armchairs and a few normal chairs. The walls in the Saloon Bar are decorated mainly with prints of birds, plus a glass case containing a stuffed jay of all things. There was a large TV screen on the wall showing the racing. The pub was doing a reasonable trade on Monday afternoon with a dozen or so punters in, with half of them propping up the bar, and all but those playing pool engrossed in the racing. They don’t do real ale; in fact there were no handpumps on the bar so this is clearly a permanent situation, nor was there any sign of any food or menus when I visited. This is a very basic locals’pub. It’s tatty around the edges, but is something of a time warp in that I doubt whether it’s changed much in the past half century. But I’m afraid that the absence of a real ale means that I’m very unlikely to visit again.

3 bars in this pub, but no real ale. Locals tend to sit at the bar, so gets difficult to order drinks. Happy bar staff. Very smokey. Overwise ok.