The Swan, Kingswinford

Fairly busy on my visit. The service was a bit slow but I think there were staffing issues. In fact the arrival of another member of bar staff was like the cavalry coming over the brow of the hill!! Only Wainwrights on but it was a good pint. We enjoyed a few games of darts in the back room. Worth calling in.

Modernised Marston's pub / restaurant, with a mix of clientele in early on a Thursday evening (perhaps split 50:50 between those eating or just there for a drink). Various seating / dining areas around the 'L'-shaped counter, plus a front patio. Three real ales on handpump: Banks's Amber (£2.85), Wainwright and the seasonal Dirty Tackle.

Official site of The Swan - www.swanpubkingswinford.co.uk

Official site of The Swan - www.swanpubkingswinford.co.uk

A detached Banks's pub and eatery. This Swan replaced and earlier pub on the opposite side of the road, a little further in towards the town. It took over the former Greenfields House and i assume incorporated some of the building into the new pub in the 40's/50's. The pub is in plain brick with attractive moulded stone windows, with a nice beer garden. The interior of the pub is on a couple of levels. It is foody, so table orientated, with walls of different colours, or the odd patterned one - the generic style. A few twigs with lights on are about, as well as a few strange bottles and sculpture, but to contrast, there are old photos on the walls and a grandfather clock. There was no music, but the TVs were on showing the tennis. The service was fine and a nice mix of people were in, many just drinking. I believe there is a side area, with a pool table. Beer; usual tap stuff with four handpulls that had Banks's Bitter, MILD (decent), Ringwood Boondoggle and Shipyard Independence Ale. All-in-all, a better experience than the normal foody place - it feels a little more like a pub. Worth dropping in for one.

A confused sort of place, it doesn't seem to know whether to be a pub or a eatery. Some real ale on offer, but only from the Marstons group of breweries. Very good food, at a good price but the place gets filled with the football crowd at weekends so the language can be foul. Worth a visit in the week & have a meal, it's cheap enough!