The White Swan, Henley-In-Arden Town, Henley-in-Arden

Good Beer Guide 2019 Entry. Annoying Gastro pub. There is a large separate dining room, which is half full - but most of the diners are in the bar - leaving no free tables for drinkers. The drinkers are all sat along the bar on high stools - making access and service tricky. This probably explained the surly demeanour of the bar staff. Awful service. The black sheep - £3.60ish - was superb - so there is a reason for its entry! Visit blogged at https://mappiman.blogspot.com/2018/10/271018-heart-of-england-way-stage-19.html

This looks like a Victorian pub that has been 'Tudorified'. It would not surprise me if there was a more ancient building at its core. There are two entrances, a glass door to the left of the buildng, and an entrance along what looks like the entrance to what would have been stabling. Inside, the room is smallish and open plan, with the bar in the centre. It looks like it was originally three rooms, one behind the bar and two in front of it. There are two fireplaces in the wall opposite the bar. At the back is a largish function room. The interior is done out in stripped wooden beams, giving the impression of a Medieval, or Tudor Hall. The chairs are leather, or leather effect and seem like 'thrones'. The bar staff on when I visited were 'pretty girls' in the usual black that bar staff wear, but they could not be faulted on efficiency or politeness and remembering what your last order was, and the nature of and quality of the beer they were serving. The beer was the usual stuff, although I didn't see any sign of Guinness. Real ales on sale were Sharp's Doom Bar, St Austell Tribute, Black Sheep Bitter and a beer by Purity. I tried all four real ales were quite lively and a tad warm. The barmaid said they were suffering from the high temperatures - my car thermo had read 30 degrees in Henley. They did go flat quickly and, as I said, were a bit warm, but they were all palatable. I couldn't stand the Purity, but that is my personal taste, not necessarily the beer. I am not keen on Purity, but gave it a go nevertheless. We sampled the food - beef and horseradish, and prawn sandwiches, which were delicious. The cooked food others ordered looked and smelled delicious. It was all reasonably priced. I would definitely go back and revisit this pub.