The Swan, Kingston Upon Thames

Just a short way from the bridge over the Thames to Kingston, this is an attractive timber-framed pub with a nice herringbone masonry façade that makes it quite striking on approach. Sadly, this is where the favourable impressions end, as the interior of the pub has been butchered over the years, leaving a large single room layout with bare floorboards throughout, a raised space over to the left and the servery along the back wall. The bar has a wood panelled counter front that has been painted white, so that it heavily contrasts against the dark wood bar back, which has a couple of TV screens needlessly inserted into it, both showing Sky Sports News. A very large open space has been left empty opposite the bar, with most seating confined to the perimeter, including a hard backed banquette along the front wall with chairs in support. A nice fireplace stands on the right-hand wall with a plain mirror above and another TV screen to one side, showing the same channel. The raised space to the left was about to be set up for an open mic night, so I was advised not to sit there unless I wanted to sing a song! It had similar seating to the rest of the room, with benches along the front and end walls and plenty of tables. Décor comprises a few arty photos and art prints on drab, plain painted walls, with fancy lamps and a few orchids and other such potted plants in the window sills. A door to the right of the bar led through to a rather dull looking, formally arranged dining room, although I didn’t get around to properly exploring. There’s a good-sized front pavement seating area as well with some sturdy looking picnic benches. There are three handpulls on the bar, but to my dismay, all three were unclipped when I arrived – apparently Shepherd Neame were experiencing supply-chain problems and the pub wasn’t expecting to have any cask ale on for another two or three days. A very friendly and helpful barman talked me through some bottled alternatives and gave me tasters of Sheps keg Spitfire Lager and Bear Island Triple Hop, so I ended up with a pint of the latter, which was very cold and unmemorable, but way better than the Spitfire Lager. This place looked very promising when I walked past, but was a great disappointment once I’d gone inside. The lack of cask ale can perhaps be excused given the nation-wide supply issues going on at the time of my visit, but it’s not as if three Sheps ales were ever going to set the pulse racing either. The interior has been gutted and given a comprehensive bland-over, leaving it to fall a long way short of a pleasant pub, perhaps ending up closer in feel to a corporate drinking barn with a restaurant. There are better pubs a short distance away in either direction from this place and I’ll be sure to skip past the next time I’m in the area.

An attractive looking wedge shaped pub following the junction on which it sits, the upper floor has structural looking timbers with herringbone brickwork between the uprights. Inside there is a large opened out area, a bit spartan really, with a central squinted bar. Black wainscoting and white plus some mustard coloured upper walls. Three visible handpumps of which two were on, offering Spitfire and Whitstable Bay, part of the rear had a curtain across so perhaps there is more but I reckon the open and barren feeling interior might be due to space making for New Year's Eve. The open to view kitchen was functioning though with Thai food coming out, the Pad Thai noodles looked to be the regular punters favourite choice. The lunch menu is very good value, dearer later or a la carte. Not a bad spot, it felt a bit clinical and functional inside and I confess to not being the greatest fan of SN ales but I could be persuaded to return, maybe for some noodles and a pint.

Off-map, but played joker en route to Lion. Not totally unlikeable, but the entrance does carry something of a hotel-bar feel & smelled of cleaning product on this Sat pm. Mostly carpetted, winds away to the right, more wooden seating, pool table & good dartboard out of way to rear, 2 decent plasmas quietly showing skysports news. Sheps, so Spitfire, Kent's Best, Late Red, beer in good condition.

A short stroll away down the High Street is the Swan, a pub that, at first sight, externally, reminds you of The White Hart Hotel, with its diagonal brick built, timber framed mock-Tudor exterior. A large blackboard outside lists an extensive food menu and the food emphasis is confirmed by several large blackboards above the bar listing meals and wines. The pub interior is rather featureless in that clean and bright modern style and features pastel shades and the usual mixture of traditional seating, high perches and sofas. The seating area snakes round the side of the bar and leads out to a quiet secret fenced garden which is a real sun trap. There’s also seats outside on the pavement area at the front. Here I noticed an iron plaque bearing the name of Hodgsons Kingston Brewery Co Limited stating that under The Rights of Way Act 1932 that the “Land is private. No public right of way”. Live music ( jazz, rock etc ) is advertised for Friday and Saturday night On my recent lunchtime visit, despite the clear food emphasis, there were only a few locals supping quietly at the bar. It’s a Shepherd Neame pub, which, notably, in addition to Spitfire, was serving Kents Best and Bishops Finger. The Kents Best, which is a pint ordinarily well worth sampling, was in excellent form. This is a fairly average place in my book, not specifically worth seeking out

Official site of the Swan, includes menu, real ale details and wine list - www.swanhamptonwick.co.uk

Official site of the Swan, includes menu, real ale details and wine list - www.swanhamptonwick.co.uk

A Shepherd Neame pub so expect the usual ales – they had Spitfire, Bishop's Finger and Kent's Best on when I was in there at Saturday lunchtime. The Kent's Best was pretty good. The pub is clean, comfortable and bright. They have an open view kitchen, and the food we had was good enough and reasonably priced, if not cheap. No discernable smells from the kitchen, which is good. Both the chap behind the bar, and the lady doing the food, were friendly and helpful. Basically I though that this was a decent enough pub – nothing very special about it and nothing wrong with it either. I would be happy to drop in again if I was in the area and fancied a pint of Shep's beer.