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Ye Olde Swan, Milton Keynes

Newport Road
Woughton On The Green
Postal town: Milton Keynes
MK6 3BS
Phone: 01908679489

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Pub Type

Chef & Brewer (Spirit Pubs)

Reviews (Current Rating Average: of 10) Add Review see review guidelines


Please Note: This review is over a year old.


Blue Scrumpy left this review about Ye Olde Swan

Chef & Brewer chain pub situated in a rural area of Milton Keynes. The pub looks massive from the outside, with a sizeable car park wrapped almost around the pub and its outdoor garden areas.

Inside feels much smaller. Although, there is still enough room for a few different dining spaces, with a small area for drinkers near the bar itself and the toilets.

The bar's handpulls are situated around the corner of the bar from the drinking area. I was told off by an overly officious bar manager for standing that side of the bar and was directed back to the other side. Perhaps pub staff have failed to get the hang of customers walking about pubs again following the various Covid requirements, but this all seemed a bit petty and how on earth are you supposed to order a beer, if you're not allowed to peruse the offerings.

Being part of the Greene King stable, IPA & Abbot are the regular beers here. However, I was happy to find Fireside also on, which is probably my favourite Greene King ale. No CAMRA discount was offered, but it appears that they may give one if asked.

This is a nice cosy establishment in a peaceful setting. But it's very much a dining venue with a few real ales thrown in.

On 25th January 2023 - rating: 5
[User has posted 2442 recommendations about 2441 pubs]


Please Note: This review is over a year old.


Thuck Phat left this review about Ye Olde Swan

Not a vast amount to add to the two comprehensive reviews below.
Ye Olde Swan is a formulaic gastropub in the rural seeming enclave of Woughton on the Green yet still very close to Milton Keynes. It retains many original features. So if you live close to MK or need to go there and fancy a meal in a pub with a country feel set in a rural seeming village then is the place.
The service was very efficient and friendly enough.
Beers: Adnams Southwold, Speckled, Hobgoblin and Pride. Not adventurous but the Pride was very well kept and slipped down easily.
I'd try it if I needed a meal in the area or a reliable pint.

On 15th January 2014 - rating: 6
[User has posted 679 recommendations about 678 pubs]


Please Note: This review is over a year old.


Bucking Fastard left this review about Ye Olde Swan

A Chef and Brewer chain pub,aimed at the dining market although fine to pop into for a beer.Blackthorn has done a very thorough review,I felt it was a pleasant enough "gastro pub by numbers".The large garden looked like a plus point in good weather,and the area around the bar by the entrance had high tables,sofas and ,at a lower level traditional tables and chairs which were not set for diners and proved a decent spot to drink.Much of the remaining interior is set for diners in various discrete sections.The real fireplaces still work but no fires had been set on a windy morning visit,shame.
The four handpumps were serving Adnams Southwold,Old Speckled Hen,Hobgoblin and a decent London Pride,backing up the cask marque accreditation.Annoyingly nuts were not served by the bag,but poured into a vessel increasing the price to an eye watering amount.There was a fruit machine in the "drinking" section and the muzak was pretty loud.Good on them for having a weekly quiz night,and Fizz Friday wasn't an invitation to buy discounted wife beater,but a deal on prosecco and champagne all day.
We didnt eat but at lunchtime there is a fixed price menu for 1,2 or 3 courses at £6,£9 and £12.Mains on the a la carte were generally £11-£14.
Rather too sterile for me to place on the revisit list,but a respectable and decent type of foodie pub.

On 12th January 2014 - rating: 6
[User has posted 2709 recommendations about 2709 pubs]


Please Note: This review is over a year old.


Blackthorn _ left this review about Ye Olde Swan

A large and attractive pub in a pleasant location a few minutes walk from the canal, this seems a popular spot and was almost full on a recent mid-week evening visit, albeit predominantly with diners. First impressions were not that encouraging with a sign in the car park proclaiming that they were "proud to serve Costa coffee" and Christmas menu leaflets just inside the door. In July.

The pub is split in to several different areas, and many of these are clearly aimed more at eating than drinking. It's had a contemporary makeover at some point which may have removed some of it's original charm, but it's not at all unpleasant. The main bar area has an attractive farmhouse tiled floor, and there is cream wood panelling on much of the walls. To the left is a small snug with green wood panelling on the lower part of the walls, maroon paintwork up above, several old black and white photo's on the walls and some comfy looking leather armchairs. The pub then extends on in to numerous different areas with either dark laminate on the floors or carpet. Many of these are quite cosy with low beamed ceiling, suitably sagging in places, and some of the lower beams having had padding applied. Obviously the Health & Safety police felt that the "Mind your head" signs were insufficient. Candles adorned many of the tables, and many of the rooms offered views out to the gardens. A free standing, dual aspect brick chimney breast separated two of the rooms and was an attractive feature, although whether it's still used I'm not sure.

Outside there is a beer garden with picnic benches as well as a patio with modern wicker chairs and high tables and this looked to be a pleasant spot. The food menu is extensive and split in to different sections such as Salads/Vegetarian, Meat/Poultry, Fish, Pies, Burgers and Grills. Prices were slightly above the budget end of the scale, with main courses starting at around £9 and going up to £15 or so. I had the Oven baked salmon wrapped in pancetta with a cheesy mash, green beans and a white wine and pesto sauce, which was a decent enough and attractively presented dish, although the pancetta was noticeable only by it's absence. At £13.29 it wasn't the cheapest option, but I was quite happy with it.

Beers on tap were Greene King IPA, Marston's Single Hop Styrian and one which the barman described as Young's Gold, although I didn't see a pump clip for that and can't see it listed on the Young's website. Ciders were Aspall's Suffolk and Weston's Traditional Scrumpy which makes a very pleasant change when the rest of Milton Keynes is drowning in a sea of Strongbow. This is a tricky one to mark - it's a pleasant pub, staff were friendly and there was good food. On the downside, the choice of beer wasn't great and it's not really that "pubby" although having said that they do hold Tuesday's quiz nights, which is not perhaps what you might expect. Overall I'd say give it a go if you're passing, but it's probably not worth making a special effort to get there - unless of course you're in Milton Keynes itself and want to avoid all the dross that is there.

On 1st August 2012 - rating: 7
[User has posted 1937 recommendations about 1850 pubs]


Please Note: This review is over a year old.


Andrea Hughes left this review about Ye Olde Swan

This is the second time we have been to this pub and our second visit to stay in Milton Keynes, and ironically, both times this has been our last pub to visit before going home. Can't comment on the food, not tried it, but on our visit this year ( June 6th) it was still a humid and warm day, pending a break in the weather, and although dull, there was a packed beer garden with people chatting and drinking and eating. On the previous visit (August 2008 ) I liked the menu, but didn't sample it, The beer however is good, with a Concrete Cow Brewery one with two more promised, and Adnams Southwold.

On 8th June 2010 - no rating submitted
[User has posted 21 recommendations about 21 pubs]


Please Note: This review is over a year old.


john mcgraw left this review about The Olde Swan

For a Chef & Brewer this is not a bad pub.Single bar with several drinking/dining areas leading off.Up to 4 real ales on tap.As you can see by the pic it had a very nice garden area as well

On 30th June 2008 - rating: 8
[User has posted 2044 recommendations about 2025 pubs]