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Disappointment of the week with Tris39
on the Pub Forum
Detail Pages
The Black Swan / Dirty Duck, Rugby
Rugby
CV21 3EB
Reviews (Current Rating Average: 6 of 10) see review guidelines
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Mild Drinker left this review about The Black Swan / Dirty Duck
Not much has changed since I last visited here about 5 years ago. Inside the pub has low beams and a rustic feel, and a lot of TVs showing sport. A smallish bar area, with unfriendly service as my last visit was a long time back. A few regulars propping up the bar on my midweek visit.4 handpumps on offer, 3 of which were different flavours of Rosie's Cider, the other being Pedigree which I had and it was fine. Ok for a quick pint but I'd say there a better options round here, The Merchants being one of them.
On 22nd January 2022
- rating: 5
[User has posted 42 recommendations about 42 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Al Bundy left this review about The Black Swan / Dirty Duck
A fairly decent pub. Its modernised out and is now an open plan place. There were 5 handpumps on the bar with a selection of localish beers on. I assume the afternoon clientele differs from the evening/weekend crew. A few tellies were showing horsey stuff. As the beer I asked for was sour the barman gave me a free selection so added points there.
On 16th February 2017
- rating: 6
[User has posted 3487 recommendations about 3390 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Thuck Phat left this review about The Black Swan / Dirty Duck
The Duck has long been a mainstay of Rugby drinking and although much has changed from the days of open fires and an open roof in the Gents, interesting on a snowy evening, it retained some of the quirkiness and character as well described below.
That has now all changed as it has undergone a major refurbishment which has seen a complete remodelling of the interior with the bar being moved further back and the decor and furnishings now calling to mind something between a low rent cocktail bar and a 'spoons. The walls are adorned with screens which were showing indeterminate footy on my early evening visit.
There is a large outside drinking area with various heaters for the winter smokers.
Beers on were Deuchars IPA, Doom Bar and Byatts Golden Imp and Coventry Bitter. My 5 point rating is all for stocking these two beers from a local, Coventry, brewery.
Prior to the refurbishment the pedestrian beer range had long since rendered my visits irregular at best, given the better alternatives in town. I don't see that altering.
On 2nd February 2016
- rating: 5
[User has posted 679 recommendations about 678 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Pub SignMan left this review about The Black Swan / Dirty Duck
The Black Swan, or Dirty Duck as it is affectionately known locally, is a decent looking pub with a bit of a rural feel to it, thanks to the low beam ceiling and wooden pillars throughout, although some interior designer has sadly heaped on the bland factor, leaving it looking like a bog standard town centre pub which happens to have a low beam ceiling. The layout is centred around what is effectively an island servery, with a mismatch of seating areas around it. The front section seemed as good as anywhere to settle down for a drink, with bench and standard in a smart woodblock floored area. To the left there is a carpeted space with a low fireplace on the end wall and a decent looking wine display where you might otherwise expect the servery to be. The rear part of the pub is on a lower level to the front and has some comfy seating options, TV screens, a dartboard and a skittles table. Completing the circuit round to the right hand side of the room, high tables and stools offer additional seating and a pinball table can be found. There is a large partly covered patio and garden area to the back of the pub and a roof terrace as well, unexplored on this visit.
There were three handpulls in operation when we arrived, dispensing Hook Norton Hooky, Wychwood Hobgoblin and Brains Rev James. I rather inexplicably opted for the Hobgoblin which was pretty average and others on the crawl were less than complimentary about their chosen brews. The barman endured a bit of gentle ribbing about the three mainstream ale choices, but he took it in fairly good humour (I think!).
This was the last pub of a sizable crawl around town which started with the better pubs before descending into the 'best of the rest', so perhaps I would've felt more favourably towards this place had I caught it earlier in the day. As it stands, I thought it falls some way short of the standards set by Rugby's top pubs, but it's certainly not a write off. One to keep an eye on maybe.
On 22nd July 2014
- rating: 6
[User has posted 3114 recommendations about 3114 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Alan Winfield left this review about The Black Swan / Dirty Duck
The Black Swan is a decent looking white painted pub that is on a narrow street in the middle of Rugby.
Once inside there was an L shaped room with the bar facing,the ceilng was low and beamed giving the pub a cosy feel,the seating was a mix of normal tables and chairs and some bench seating,there is a Northants skittles table to the rear right,there was a smarter raised area behind the bar.
There were two real ales on the bar,i had a drink of Rugby brewery Union which was a decent proper bitter,the other beer was Hook Norton Old Hookey.
There was a mix of drinkers and diners in on my Saturday afternoon visit.
I quite liked this pub.
Pub visited 12/7/2014
On 12th July 2014
- rating: 7
[User has posted 6113 recommendations about 6113 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Moby Duck left this review about The Black Swan / Dirty Duck
I didn't really take to this place, didn't quite do what it said on the can,initially looks ok on the interior but its all a little sterile and dare I say has a slightly fake feel about it. The beers were uninspiring in choice, Hobgoblin, Reverend James, and Old Hooky ,the latter being my choice and average at best.I wouldn't target this pub as part of a crawl on this form.
On 2nd July 2014
- rating: 5
[User has posted 1871 recommendations about 1844 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Quinno _ left this review about The Black Swan / Dirty Duck
Large pub that appears to have subsumed at least three quite separate buildings over the years. U-shaped interior with a loungey area to the left. Some roof timbers and exposed brick give a faintly rustic air. Dart board spotted. Three ales, a list choice of Hobgoblin, Rev James (not great) and Hook Norton Old Hooky. Pretty quiet on my Saturday afternoon visit whilst other nearby places were busy.
On 29th June 2014
- rating: 6
[User has posted 5072 recommendations about 5055 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Bucking Fastard left this review about The Black Swan / The Dirty Duck
A bit of a rambling interior with a central island servery.Towards the back there is a darts board and upright piano but a refurb has created a clean yet antiseptic interior not helped by being virtually empty on a sunny Friday early evening.The three handpumps were dispensing Hobgoblin,Old Hooky and Brains Reverend James,three very similar beers .There was some banter with the barman about this hop free selection,and he seemed on the defensive.Probably not enough to tempt real ale fans given the options nearby,you can only hope that some other USP emerges in time.
On 14th June 2014
- rating: 6
[User has posted 2727 recommendations about 2727 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Real Ale Ray left this review about The Black Swan / The Dirty Duck
We popped in here early doors mid week and there wasn't any loud music being played. The interior consisted of low beamed ceilings and timber flooring and some undressed brick walls. The barmaid was friendly and helpful and there were four handpumps on the bar. Only two ales to choose from, Hobgoblin and Old Hooky. The Old Hooky was in good condition, the pub also serves food.
On 10th November 2013
- rating: 7
[User has posted 3382 recommendations about 3381 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Just a quick pint, then I'm off left this review about Black Swan Inn
The Black Swan (or Dirty Duck as it says on the cantilever pub sign) is a historic inn which looks like it originally comprised three different buildings. The interior layout is thus somewhat complex, and although partially opened out it still provides a variety of seating areas on various levels. Pool table. Relatively loud music. Three of six handpumps were in operation, offering Theakston Best Bitter, Old Hooky and Play On from the local Wood Farm Brewery (£3.10, but rather cloudy). The array of pump clips indicate a past interest in real ale, but reviews elsewhere indicate that this may have waned in recent times (a suggestion not refuted by the dubious quality of my pint).
On 2nd October 2011
- rating: 6
[User has posted 8086 recommendations about 8086 pubs]