The White Swan, York

Peter Forster left this review about The White Swan

One of two Swans in Kirkbymoorside, the White Swan came under new management and was refurbished early in 2025. You walk into a fairly small L shaped bar with assorted tables arranged around the edges of the room and beneath the windows that look out onto the marketplace. The first thing that grabs attention is a well burning log fire that is making the pub very warm and cosy. The place shows obvious signs of recent sympathetic but extensive redecoration. Ancient rough beams are painted black and festooned with white fairy lights - not my choice but it does fit in with the overall vibe. Old photos of the town hang on the walls. The floor is wood, diagonal boards. The bar itself is painted green, the sort of colour that posh companies like Farrow & Ball specialise in. The overall feel is very neat and tidy - fresh wood, if you know what I mean. On the bar a cookie jar full of dog's gravy bones sits next to a lollypop dispenser, thereby covering a range of potential customers? As for drinks. Three cask ales are on hand pump. Theakston' Best and Old Peculiar flank Farmers Blonde from Bradfield Brewery in Sheffield. I have a half of the Blonde (£2.30). The barman (owner) takes a lot of care with the beer as the pub has only just opened (3 pm). It pays off, it is very good, fresh and refreshing with a nice balance of hops (NBSS 4). On the other side of the counter a T-bar font displays the usual Eurofiz with Hawkstone's Lager among them. The barman explains that Hawkstone has become one of their big sellers, displacing Fosters. I saw no sign of food but online material indicates a pizza oven has been installed and pizzas are available. In summary this is presently the smartest pub in town. The George and Dragon opposite is closed for refurbishment so time will tell if that stays true. I would certainly choose to come here again. A good 7/10 but, as with other pubs in the area, a higher score would be achieved if there was a more exciting beer range offered. There are at least two local breweries that it would be nice to see on pump. (I visited on Friday 20th March 2026 at 3 pm)

On 21^st March 2026 - rating: 7
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