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Beer of the Week (w/e 27th April 2025) with Thuck Phat
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Detail Pages
The Swan Inn, Lewes
Lewes
BN7 1HU
Reviews (Current Rating Average: 6 of 10) see review guidelines
David Walton left this review about The Swan Inn
Visited 07/02/25. Visited previously on 09/08/20 on a blazing hot late afternoon in the strange time that was summer 2020!
Five hand pumps providing Rosie's Pig cider and then four Harvey's bitters in this Harvey's house, namely Sussex Best, Kiss, Sisters and the Dark Mild. Keg offering was the Harvey's Pilsner, Cruz, Stowford Press, Neck Oil, Guinness and Moretti.
Two door entrance each up a couple of steps. Left hand door is the saloon bar and houses the side of the bar counter that has the taps and hand pulls thereon. The bar is bare boarded and has lots of plastic ivy type foliage around the joins of the walls and ceiling. Operational fire grate on the wall opposite the bar counter and regular tables in front of and to the side, one large table occupied by a large family with young kids playing games. A door at the back takes you out to the rear beer garden that has a good amount of covering and was surprisingly popular on my visit on a cold and intermittent rainy evening. The other side is the public bar and as well as its own entrance it can also be accessed inside from the back of the pub. This side also has a working fire on the far wall and is cosier with a corner banquette serving a couple of tables and then some other tables with regular chairs. A pleasant tall table with tall stools in the bay window but I had to sit on a stool at the bar as all the tables were unoccupied but with imminent bookings.
On 7th April 2025
- rating: 5
[User has posted 631 recommendations about 631 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Just a quick pint, then I'm off left this review about The Swan Inn
Fine old Harvey's pub at the far end of Southover High Street, retaining a two-bar layout. Both of these have been refurbished in a surprisingly plain style with semi-traditional furniture and semi-modern paintwork. In these strange times, only offering Sussex and the seasonal Old Ale (expensive at £4.60, but in great shape as you would expect).
On 8th November 2020
- rating: 6
[User has posted 8679 recommendations about 8678 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Graham Coombs left this review about The Swan Inn
Located at the end of Southover High Street, this is a good traditional pub which has had a bit of a makeover and now seems to appeal to pensioners, young mothers and diners generally but still has a nice pub feel despite the occasional fairy light. It retains a two-bar layout, although there is not much to choose between them, and there is a fair-sized patio garden to the rear. A Harvey's pub, on handpump were Best, Old, IPA and Star of Eastbourne, plus Rosie's Pig cider.
On 16th October 2019
- rating: 7
[User has posted 3641 recommendations about 3576 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Moby Duck left this review about The Swan Inn
Absolutely rammed on my Sunday lunchtime visit, there were a couple of empty tables but had reserved signs in place. we found some room in the garden but not a lot. Five handpumps ,four drawing Harvey's beers leaving one unclipped. A nice looking pub but we turned up at the wrong time of the day to fully appreciate it.
On 17th July 2019
- rating: 6
[User has posted 2151 recommendations about 2118 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Strongers . left this review about The Swan Inn
The Swan Inn is made up of a public bar with pool table and dartboard to the right and a separate saloon bar with standard seating to the left. The bar has a few standard draught products available and I spotted three hand pumps that were drawing Harveys Best, Olympia and Tom Payne. This pub is closed between 15:00 and 17:00 Monday thru to Thursday and food is served from midday for a couple of hours and then from 18:00 until 21:00. Roasts are available on Sundays, but I didn’t see what times the kitchen is open. I spotted a chalk board with a list of sandwiches that are available for around the £4 mark and children are welcome until 20:30 in the evening.
There was no atmosphere here during my visit just after 22:00 on Thursday night as there were only two other customers and they were both reading a paperback whilst slowly supping on their glasses of wine. The only noise was the sound of the fridge and the odd turning of book page and the governor looked extremely bored as he leafed through a newspaper. To be fair he did jump up and serve me with a smile and hello and the Tom Payne was on good form. I left here disappointed, but from what I saw I think I may have visited on a bad night so I will make a point of revisiting this pub when next in Lewes.
On 5th July 2011
- rating: 6
[User has posted 5965 recommendations about 5931 pubs]