The Commercial Inn, Swansea

The Commercial Inn page at a Greene King site - www.gkmeetandeat.co.uk

The Commercial Inn page at a Greene King site - www.gkmeetandeat.co.uk

Built in the 1850’s to provide refreshment for the miners from the neighbouring Rhyd y Defaid Colliery in Clyne Woods, the Commercial Inn was, alongside the Black Boy, one of the formative properties in the newly emerging village of Killay. Nowadays, the pub shows little in the way of historic interest thanks to the Greene King brewery, who have given the place a makeover typical of the chain, resulting in a modernised interior with little charm. The pub has an L shaped layout, extending quite a long way to the rear. You enter into a spacious front bar with a pool table to the right of the front door and some comfy seating to the left. There is carpet throughout, except for a few bare boards around the servery and the decor is of the pastel paint and floral wallpaper variety. Seating comes in many forms, all of which look very comfortable and much of which is ideal for anyone wanting to eat, although in stark contrast to the Black Boy, there was virtually no-one eating here. The room runs a long way back and incorporates a few interesting bits including an upright piano, a vast wine display cabinet and several large TV screens, with piped music playing away in the background. A raised section at the rear ultimately leads out to a patio with a few worse for wear benches, plus a large grass area with a children’s playground which makes this a good option if dining out with kids in tow. Three Greene King brews awaited me at the bar – IPA, Abbot Ale and Morland Old Speckled Hen – the last of which was in decent shape and went down well as I supped in the baking heat of the beer garden. The staff seemed a bit cold and impersonal but they were quick to serve so I wasn’t complaining. Not really my cup of tea, but it’s smart, clean and has a good beer garden, so it certainly would have its uses. The Greene King makeover thing is a real put-off, but people must like it, otherwise they wouldn’t keep doing them. Worth a look on a sunny day, but for decent beer, try the Village Inn instead.