The Swan Inn, Bristol

Official site of The Swan Inn - www.oldenglishinns.co.uk

Official site of The Swan Inn - www.oldenglishinns.co.uk

This has got many ingredients to be a great country pub, but somehow doesn't quite manage to pull it off. It's right by the village green, there's the low beamed ceiling, suitable décor and a real file (actually a real fireplace with real logs, but I could smell smoke so I assume it's lit on occasions!). However, the large chrome carvery stand assaults you as soon as you walk thorough the door (to be fair, maybe they move it when it's not in use, I'm not sure) and there's a large plasma on the wall in one of the cosier lounges which seems rather out of place. Fortunately it was turned off. It's a Greene King pub, so nothing very exciting in terms of beer – their IPA and Abbott Ale on hand pump and Old Speckled Hen straight from the barrel, plus Courage Best. They also had Stow ford Press cider. Their seemed to be a decent selection of food available with the aforementioned carvery, a good choice of pub grub on the regular menu and a small specials board. Unfortunately it was served off-putingly quickly, I'd hardly had time to take the head off my pint before it arrived. It would probably have taken me longer to get served in a McDonalds. The food was what you would expect for something that turned up so quickly – essentially a supermarket ready meal. I never buy them, and don't expect to be served them when I go out. The staff were pleasant enough, but presumably on some type of bonus structure. The guy who took our food order was keen to “recommend” some side dishes, and the waitress who cleared our plates was keen to “recommend” some desert or coffee. So, in summary, worth popping in for a pint if you're passing, but don't bother with the food. Unless you like supermarket ready meals, that it.