The Swan, Hammersmith, W6

Visited in June 2010 Prominently situated at the junction of King Street and Hammersmith Broadway opposite Hammersmith Tube Station, The Swan is an imposing Victorian pub that has, pleasingly, now come into the Nicholsons stable. Previously a typical town centre "Edwards" pub appealing to the less discerning and more youthful pub goers, it has now reverted to its original name of The Swan. Do take the time to look high up on the outside of the building and note the splendid swan depiction on the decorative brickwork. Note also the date shown in the plasterwork - 1901. Inside the pub, the usual Nicholsons framed information print tells us that an earlier pub - a coaching inn known as The Old Swan , functioning as the first stop for horse drawn coaches from the City of London in the 18th Century - had to be demolished when the railway arrived, and that this pub, close by, is its direct replacement. In true Nicholsons style, their restoration has brought out the best of the pub's Victorian heritage - high ceilings, several solid looking arches, impressive pillars, chandeliers and some frosted stained glass mini-windows up above the main tall plain glass windows. There's polished wood in abundance, which enhances the traditional feel of the interior, although I suspect that much of it is not original. There's a number of different seating areas, including an attractive carpeted room around the back of the main bar area. Upstairs is a "Bar and Dining Room" , although the downstairs bar is obviously used for dining and condiments were on most of the tables. On the real ale front, there's 10 handpumps downstairs, of which 9 were in use on my recent Sunday lunchtime visit. Beers on were Wadworths 6X, Brakspears Bitter, London Pride, 2 Timmy Taylors beers ( Landlord and Best ), Adnams Broadside, Sharps Doom Bar, Cropton Dutch Wink and Castle Rock Harvest Pale Ale. The Brakspears was not particularly good, but the Castle Rock HPA was in excellent form. Both beers were priced at £ 3.10p. There's a certain similarity here with The Falcon at Clapham Junction - both externally impressive Victorian pubs occupying prime street corner positions at busy road junctions, yet, until "rescued" by Nicholsons, neither being particularly good pubs at all, if the truth were known. The Swan is a very welcome addition to the West London pub scene

Official pages of the Swan, contains menu and cask ale details - www.nicholsonspubs.co.uk