The Olde Swan Hotel, Chertsey

Pub SignMan left this review about The Olde Swan Hotel

Taking pride of place along Chertsey High Street, this is a fine-looking pub and hotel in what appears to be an old coaching inn. You enter into a bare boarded, L-shaped room with the servery to the right and ample seating through the rest of the room. Walls have been painted in a pleasant, two-tone colour scheme that helps create a warm ambiance when combined with the muted lighting that was being used on my early evening visit. Lots of quite large tables are served by mixed chairs in all parts of the room, although every single table had a reserved sign on it, so it was extremely awkward trying to find somewhere to sit, even though no-one had yet claimed any of the tables. The bar has a nice dark wood counter with curved ends and a pleasing, traditional bar back. Decor includes a massive number of framed photographs, especially to the rear left, plus mirrors, lamps, clocks, paintings, old typewriters, radios, jugs, bottles, bed pans and much more, all dotted around the room in notable quantities. It all helps to give the pub a nice, eclectic feel, far from the sort of run-of-the-mill chain pubs you tend to find in towns like this. A lower-level space to the front right offers a few more tables, including one made from a small bar billiards table, now with a glass top, whilst a huge board game collection has been stacked up in the front window and a load of paperback books can be found next to the front door. Finally, a door to the rear leads out to the beer garden, although I didn’t venture out given how cold and dark it was outside.
There were four ales available on handpull when I arrived - Quantock Endless Autumn, Sharps Doom Bar, Taylors Landlord and Tring Side Pocket (£5.10 a pint). The Side Pocket was in very good shape, befitting the pub’s inclusion is recent editions of the Good Beer Guide, and I found the staff to be very friendly and efficient. A crowd started to gather and fill some of the reserved tables, possibly for a pub quiz night, so by the time I left, there was quite a good atmosphere building.
I wasn’t really expecting to find much in the way of decent pubs out in Chertsey, but I thought this was a great boozer, let down only by the annoying table reserving policy – understandable to ensure quizzers can have a comfortable evening here, but infuriating as a lone visitor just wanting somewhere to sit for a few minutes. The well-kept beer, friendly service and eclectic décor were all big plus points though and I’d be surprised to learn that there’s a pub that can top this anywhere else in town.

Date of visit - 12th November 2024

On 20^th February 2025 - rating: 7
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