Not already a member?
Join our community and
- Rate & review pubs
- Upload pictures
- Add events
JOIN for free NOW
Chat about:
Disappearing and 'in peril' breweries with Tris39
on the Pub Forum
Detail Pages
Swan Inn, Brighton
Falmer
Postal town: Brighton
BN1 9PD
Reviews (Current Rating Average: 6½ of 10) see review guidelines
Just a quick pint, then I'm off left this review about Swan Inn
Traditional pub, somewhat hidden away despite being very close to the A27, universities and football stadium. Comprises a lounge / dining room at one end, the public bar at the other and almost a snug in between (although the link is via the front steps). The latter houses a total of eight handpumps, three of which were in use on my visit, offering Long Blonde from Long Man plus a pair from Palmers: IPA (£4.80) and Tally Ho! Their Dorset Pale was also noted on one of the keg taps.
On 10th March 2024
- rating: 7
[User has posted 8117 recommendations about 8117 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Blue Scrumpy left this review about Swan Inn
The Swan Inn is a pub I've been trying to visit for some time. Each year I visit Brighton & Hove Albion's Amex Stadium, we are now allowed in, as naturally all away football fans are hooligans and bouncers will prevent entry. I tried to visit on my last visit to East Sussex in May, 2021 too, only to find it closed as pubs were still slow to open following a Covid lockdown.
My perseverance finally paid off when visiting yesterday (a Friday) afternoon. Entering from the car park, there is a small outdoor patio where a couple of customers were enjoying a mid-afternoon drink and once inside you pass through the saloon bar, before finding the tiny, narrow main bar. Beyond that is another room which we didn't venture into. One other customer joined us in the main bar, whilst another couple arrived in the far room.
Just the 3 ales were on. Palmer's Tally Ho is a regular feature with Palmer's IPA also on. A second guest beer was Bedlam Smash, whilst a Bedlam Phoenix pumpclip was also turned round whilst we were there. But I think that was just because the bored barmaid was cleaning the handpull.
The bar area has somewhat of a railway theme, with a small modern railway above it all and various other railway ephemera. There is also some kind of German theme. But I'm not quite sure what the connection is there.
Toilets off the saloon bar are fairly tiny, which got me wondering how crowded they must get on a matchday. Sadly, I doubt I will ever know. This is certainly a half-decent pub, albeit lacking atmosphere, customers and much of a beer choice on a weekday visit.
On 25th June 2022
- rating: 6
[User has posted 2493 recommendations about 2492 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Steve C left this review about Swan Inn
The Village of Falmer was split by the completion of the A27 in 1981 leaving the Swan Inn in the north of the village separated from the village hall, pond, church and farm shop in the south. The pub has survived being isolated for many years and now benefits from Brighton and Hove Albion’s new Amex stadium that has been built in Falmer. From what I understand of the history of this pub the owner used to work in the pub and when the old governor died he left it to her in his will. I’m under the impression that he was against the building of the stadium so he would be disappointed that on match days only locals and ticket holding home fans are permitted past the bouncers into the pub. There was no such problem with bouncers when I visited with the misses early on Sunday evening, but the pub was getting very busy by the time we left at 19:30. There are two separate bars and we spent our time in the right hand bar that has a dartboard at the rear and access to a patio garden. The other bar is central to the pub and the majority of the bar runs along it. To the far left of the pub there looked like there is another room with seating but I didn’t get a proper look. I didn’t spot any TVs and there was no background music playing. I had a little trouble finding the toilet until I was directed to an outhouse that is used as the gents.
Food is served for a couple of hours at lunch and the kitchen remains open on Thursday and Friday evenings. There is a limited standard draught selection and the bar supports four hand pumps that were drawing Fullers Seafarers and W J King’s Red River alongside Tally Ho and Best Bitter from Palmers Brewery. Palmers actually feature a lot in this pub as there is a lot of their memorabilia up on the walls. I’m not sure what the connection is between the Swan and this Dorset Brewer other than stocking their beers.
This is a decent down to earth pub that warrants a return visit, just not on match day.
On 23rd December 2011
- rating: 7
[User has posted 5268 recommendations about 5236 pubs]