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Disappointment of the week with Mobyduck
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Detail Pages
The Swan, Reading
Three Mile Cross
Postal town: Reading
RG7 1AT
Reviews (Current Rating Average: 8½ of 10) see review guidelines
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Moby Duck left this review about The Swan
A nice looking place with a country pub feel about it, the interior is fairly traditional with low beamed ceilings and a copper topped bar and seating of a sensible nature throughout the two adjoining rooms.Beers available were three from Timothy Taylors, Landlord, Boltmaker and Knowle Spring, Adnams Ghostship, London Pride and Loddon Hoppit, the three beers I tried were all in good condition.
The barman worked out one of our number was a designated driver and unprompted came over to our table and told him his next couple of soft drinks were on the house, a nice touch and a very nice pub.
On 4th June 2017
- rating: 8
[User has posted 1871 recommendations about 1844 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Quinno _ left this review about The Swan
Now up for sale freehold - for a cool million. Pop in and sample it in its current guise while you can.
November 2015
A good range of five ales - usually TT Landlord and Boltmaker (badged as Best here), Pride and Loddon Hoppit as standards plus another (seems to be Elmers Flying Monk at present) - available in this characterful two bar pub. A bit pricey perhaps though they are served and are invariably of high quality. Some unusual stuff to be found outside, lots of hanging baskets and the kiddie-pleaser, 'Jumbo's House', where the huge mutt - sorry mascot - of London Irish resides. Not far from the Madejski Stadium and the place does a good trade on match days, with ample parking at the rear of the pub. Licensees Jenny and Vic have been here for over 30 years and have owned the place for the last 10 or so. Food is available – home cooked, well-portioned and very tasty (the chilli burgers are fab). Look out for the plaques in the gents where famous visitors have that their visits recorded for posterity. A good pub and well-worth diverting off the M4 J11 to sample. Plastic glasses on match days at the behest of the local council.
On 16th July 2016
- no rating submitted
[User has posted 5072 recommendations about 5055 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Ian Mapp left this review about The Swan
Couldn't bare to eat at the Holiday Inn... so programmed Sat Nav to the nearest pub.
On the otherside of the Motorway, I know need to work out if it is close enough to walk to for my next visit.
Food was all home cooked and excellent. Land Lady made a stranger feel very welcome.
Several beers on, but I couldn't miss a Timothy Taylor Landlord - perfect.
On 19th September 2015
- rating: 8
[User has posted 1337 recommendations about 1323 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
John Bonser left this review about The Swan
Update - January 2015
Another very enjoyable visit yesterday before our trip to the Madejski with five real ales on - TT Landlord and Best, London Pride, Loddon Hoppit and Elmers from the Flying Monk Brewery in Malmesbury. The latter two were in fine form. No "pint pots" yesterday, I'm afraid - it seems to be plastic glasses only when the footie fans are around, although you need a very fertile imagination if you can envisage it ever kicking off in here, as only the more discerning and knowledgeable fans seem to come here. Nothing else to report really, my review from last year is still current. Long may this pub continue as it is.
Original review - March 2014
In the village of Three Mile Cross, a few miles outside Reading, is The Swan, a traditional community orientated village pub.
A small folded card on each table tells us that the pub was probably constructed in the early 17th century and started life as three timber framed artisans cottages. It was once used as a changing station for horses on the stage route from London to Portsmouth. Mary Mitford, the authoress and dramatist, once lived next door and I presume that the decorative bust inlaid into the front wall by the entrance is meant to depict her, although I didn’t see that it was so named.
Nowadays, there’s 2 adjoining comfortable, cosy carpeted bars, featuring low black beamed ceilings, spindle backed chairs, some old settles and a welcoming, slightly old fashioned air. At the far end of the room is a fine old brick built fireplace. Several old framed photos show us that it was once a Courage pub, although, unfortunately, apart from possibly a decorative wrought iron shelf for glasses above the bar, there’s now nothing original specifically confirming that.
The room on the left has several impressively large glass framed stuffed fish caught locally and a fine poem relating to the pub written by, presumably, a past or present regular. The larger room on the right is proudly displayed a CAMRA certificate awarded to mine host and hostess, Vic and Jenny, a charming couple incidentally, in celebration of their 30 years at the helm, reached in 2013. Unusually, and notably, given the absence of other brewery memorabilia, in this room are also a framed set of beermats from the famous Old Swan ( Mrs Pardoes ) in Netherton, near Dudley.
At the end of the bar, a corridor leads to the gents toilets, where we see an extensive collection of amusing brass plaques reflecting who has called in over the years – eg Lenny Henry, Steve Davis – and, in several cases, telling us who didn’t have the courtesy to stay for a drink!
Behind the pub is an ornamental garden, which looks as though it has seen better days, and a large car park. Several large cages in this garden house Jumbo and Mr Doyle, two large Irish wolfhounds, who are the former and current mascots of London Irish Rugby Club, who share the nearby Madejski Stadium with Reading F C
Reflecting the fact that the pub is the nearest pub to the Madejski Stadium, although it’s the other side of the M4 Motorway, a basic match day menu – eg Sports Burger with chips and salad – was available on my recent visit before SWFC’s early February visit to Reading. Pleasingly, only the more discerning football supporters and those “in the know” seem to have found this place. Disappointingly, however, and unnecessary in my view, plastic glasses were the order of the day, even for people not venturing outside, but an extra brownie point was scored for letting me leave my car in the car park for the duration of the game. This does mean a bit of a walk, including negotiating Junction 11 of the M4, but it does appear to be infinitely preferable to trying to park significantly nearer to the ground.
5 real ales were on, London Pride, T T Landlord and Best, Wadworth 6X and Loddon Hoppit Classic Bitter, the latter being a fine tasty pint. These appear to be the largely regular offerings. The pub is listed in the 2014 CAMRA Good Beer Guide.
This was a very enjoyable. Next time I go to the Madejski, I’m definitely calling in again
On 1st February 2015
- rating: 8
[User has posted 560 recommendations about 560 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Martyn Stead left this review about The Swan
Excellent range of real ales - London Pride, Youngs, Godfather, Wadworth 6X plus (for those with less taste) Courage Best & John Smith smooth. Food is good home-cooked pub fare. Sausages made to Vic the Landlord's own recipe are excellent.
On 23rd February 2004
- rating: 10
[User has posted 2 recommendations about 2 pubs]