MK @ The George, Swansea

On arriving at the George I was confronted by a confused family who stopped me and asked if I knew where they could find the 'Salt Bar'. I said I'd never heard of it, but their GPS was telling them they were in the right area, so we went in and asked the barman who confirmed that the George is also, confusingly, known as the Salt Bar, despite absolutely no external signage to that effect. Having cleared up the pub's name(s), I was able to set about exploring this large seafront Brains pub. Set slightly back from the main road, and therefore affording customers a few valuable parking places, you enter through a front porch into an opened out lobby area with a restaurant to the left and the bar area to the right. The bar has mix of flooring, with bare boards, tiles and carpet all in evidence. High tables and stools are opposite the bar and there is some standard seating under a series of large bay windows at the front. The place has been given a very modern but plain corporate makeover, specialising in the Farrow and Bull paint palette and with an upscaled bar counter and some fancy light fittings. A large board on the rear wall, next to the servery, explains that the pub takes its name from George Francis, a local collector and antiquary, rather than the usual monarch. Aside from this, the bar area is fairly nondescript and the only other visual distraction seemed to be a TV screen to the right showing muted rolling news coverage. Over to the left, the restaurant side has mainly standard seating and slightly muted lighting, ironically making it a good deal cosier than the bright bar area. Having said that, this side also had a strong corporate feel to it, with bland piped music playing quietly in the background. A large curved staircase near the entrance leads up to a first floor area that I failed to explore. There was nothing much exciting on the bar, with Brains Bitter, Rev James and SA occupying the hand pumps. The SA was in decent shape but with plenty of other Brains pubs to chose from throughout Glamorgan, one can only assume that this mediocre range suggests they are more interested in diners than drinkers. The food appeared to be pretty ropey though, with what looked suspiciously like a Brake Bros style, bog-standard menu full of shots of unappealing, mass produced food. This place has a winning location and not too much competition at this end of the mile, and therefore seems content to lure in people familiar with the Brains brand, presenting a safe, corporate venue which, quite frankly could have been anywhere in the UK. A missed opportunity I feel and with the characterful Pilot just a few yards away, it's difficult to envisage the need for a return visit.

This is a detached Brains' food pub. The pub duely appears on the first 25" OS map, and I read that it can be traced back to the Napoleonic Wars, as the 'George' name would suggest. sSaying that, the irregular look shows the pub has been altered over the years and does have, perhaps, a more Victorian look than anything. It is in white, with blue paintwork on the bay windows, gables and timber beams. The interior is open plan and very modern, sadly. The walls are in the mix of colours that we are all used to seeing in pubco places; blue, green, yellow, white and so forth. Added to this, is the fact that the chairs are all jumbled-up, just in case anything looks like it should go together - King George III would have had kittens over what he would see as a mess, yet we are told is the product of 'professional interior design'. A curving staircase is a feature in one corner and vases, seascape pictures, arty lampshades, mirrors and those damn twigs are seemingly spread about with alacrity. The TV had the silent news on and the music was general and quiet. The service was fine and the clientele was fairly small, and all dining as far as i could see. Beer; usula tap stuff, with Welsh Stout, with Brains' Bitter (too cold), SA and Rev James on handpull. An arty food place - the kind where you deliberately want to upset the manager by asking where the dart board is.