The Olde Swan Hotel, Chertsey

Official site of The Olde Swan Hotel - www.theoldeswanhotel.co.uk

Official site of The Olde Swan Hotel - www.theoldeswanhotel.co.uk

A clearly historic building with bay windows cantilevered over the pavement, the pub is also a hotel. The bar area is knocked through but has a front return area and a side section seemingly favoured by diners. This area had a wall dedicated to a large number of framed pictures and mirrors. A guitar hangs on a front pillar and oddly there are various kitchen implements on hooks towards the rear. Stained boarded flooring with occasional rugs, brick piers are painted in navy blue. There were four hand pumps, Landlord, Tribute, Doom Bar and Tring Side Pocket for a Toad. A chilled and pleasant enough spot handily located for Chertsey Town FC.

A bit twee and middle class but has a good range of ale and functions as a pub rather than as a reservations and food outlet. The interior has been whacked through a bit but there is just enough attempt at differentiation to make it feel homely. A weird decor mix of wood floor with rugs, many framed pictures, bluey grey paint and some sort of twee rustic wallpaper. For the discerning satirist, there are Matt cartoons in the bogs. GBG19 listed, there were four pumps dispensing Thwaites Wainwright, Sharps Doom Bar, Downton Honey and a good half of Tring Side Pocket. The female bar staff were engaging and the atmosphere was generated by punter chat over a faint bit of inoffensive background muzak. Given the general low standards locally, this one is worth your time. I would have stayed for a second had I not had other places to bag.

A refurbed hotel bar done out in an Antic pub style shabby chic kind of way, I found it to be a rather nice an comfortable place to be and best by a stretch of the three establishments visited in chertsey on the day. A slight downside for me was that the beer on offer was a little bit pedestrian for my taste, Doom Bar , London Pride and Thwaites Wainwright which was well conditioned an perfectly drinkable if not over challenging, however I quite enjoyed my brief stay here.

Had a look in and only saw a Youngs ale on so passed. May call in later this week.