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Detail Pages
The White Swan (JD Wetherspoon), N1
N1
N1 1RY
Pub Type
J D WetherspoonReviews (Current Rating Average: 5½ of 10) see review guidelines
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Quinno _ left this review about The White Swan (JD Wetherspoon)
The ‘handy for Highbury & Islington tube’ JDW, housed in a building of little note. Inside is fairly well decorated (if perhaps a little brown and orange heavy) and has a mezzanine level. Some interesting wavy wood-block finishing on the bar front and mezzanine protrusion. Clean and tidy, despite having presumably seen heavy trade throughout the Saturday. My haziness by this point meant I accidentally ended up with a super-strong US collaboration ale that JDW are currently pushing (Stone, I think) which was rather tasty, in fairness. As far as Spoons go I quite liked this place and wouldn’t be averse to a revisit.
On 25th February 2014
- rating: 7
[User has posted 5099 recommendations about 5082 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
john mcgraw left this review about The White Swan (JD Wetherspoon)
A fairly large and bright Wetherspoon's but as on most of my previous visits not a great selection of guest beers despite it being the London Ale Festival.
On 12th February 2014
- rating: 6
[User has posted 2044 recommendations about 2025 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Pub SignMan left this review about The White Swan (JD Wetherspoon)
Just round the corner from Highbury and Islington tube station, this is a sizeable Wetherspoons pub sited in an unattractive 1960’s building. The pub is decorated in a distinctive fashion which sets it apart somewhat from other pubs in this chain. You enter into a glass fronted area, under a neon pub sign, and find yourself in a vast carpeted room with a small tiled floor seating area on the right hand side. Further into the room, the bar runs down the right hand wall with high tables and stools opposite and some TV screens over the servery canopy showing a Europa League match with the commentary audible. Towards the rear, the room widens slightly and is filled with standard table and chair arrangements, plus a few booths separated by glass partitioning screens which bear the pub’s name. The whole pub has been decorated with an unusual wooden tile pattern, which wends its way throughout the room in a wavy layout. As others have mentioned, there is a nice mezzanine level which gives a good view down into the main part of the room.
I counted ten hand pumps, but was a bit disappointed to find five ‘Spoons regulars, one ‘Coming Soon’ clip, one unclipped pump and one ale, Summerskills Tamar, which had just gone off. This left just the two guest ales, of which I tried a disappointing pint of Titanic Captain Smiths, although I was a little surprised to find that the Abbot Ale, which a friend accidentally bought me, was in very good nick.
I didn’t really warm to this pub, although I got the impression that I wasn’t seeing it at its best. It’s a fairly average ‘Spoons experience, despite the quirky styling, but I’d probably give it another look thanks to its convenient location next to the tube station.
On 10th March 2013
- rating: 6
[User has posted 3114 recommendations about 3114 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Roger Button left this review about The White Swan (JD Wetherspoon)
Whilst it looks like a bit like a cinema from the outside, what is now the White Swan was originally used as the Headquarters for the Working Mans Club Institution Union. The previous shops and offices on the site were destroyed by a V2 in 1944 killing 266 and injuring 155. The current building was built in 1962 and Wetherspoons took it over in 2000 using the name of a pub that had originally stood nearby.
It is certainly one of the more interesting interiors that initially has a polar impact, a sort of cinema / factory hybrid with large frosted floor to ceiling side windows, an unusual balcony that is open on both side and an eye catching if slightly nauseous amount of inlaid wooden tiling. Above the bar are portholes housing wine bottles and a few modern art prints are dotted about. The front has the now ubiquitous sofa area and there are more loungey bits with tub chairs further back and upstairs on the balcony.
The beer selection is generally above average for ‘Spoons with around 4 or 5 guest ales generally available alongside the usual suspects at the usual cheap (but getting higher) prices and decent quality has never been a major issue on my numerous visits.
It has take some time for me to be won over by the place but for some reason I do like its quirkiness which although not particularly attractive, does come over as something different and original.
On 14th October 2011
- rating: 7
[User has posted 1239 recommendations about 1233 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Malden man left this review about The White Swan (JD Wetherspoon)
Built in 1962 (so the same age as me!) this is a Wetherspoons conversion of a working man's club and union building. The White Swan name recollects that of a former pub which used to sit behind here in what was known as White Swan Yard.
A typical modern interior with many surfaces covered in a pattern of wooden slips in shades of brown and orange. There are a number of booths to the rear on a side wall beyond the bar. The area above the bar is boxed in and has a series of portholes containing branded beer glasses backlit with red, green and yellow lighting.
Towards the rear a staircase sweeps up to a gallery which gives good views of the room below especially from the drinking shelf at the perimeter. A sign informs that children are not allowed up here.
There are ten handpumps and in addition to the usual 'spoons staples there were four guests plus one "coming soon". My Vale Brewery Gravitas was top notch, even if a little dearer than my local 'spoons at £2.49.
As for decor there are the usual potted histories and anecdotes dotted about. The clientele seemed pretty respectable on the whole. I regard this as an above average example of the chain.
On 10th July 2011
- rating: 6
[User has posted 1708 recommendations about 1681 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Alan Winfield left this review about The White Swan (JD Wetherspoon)
This is a Wetherspoons house at the top end of upper street.
The pub was quite busy mid saturday afternoon and there was a decent choice of real ales on the bar i car'nt remember what drink i had but it was a decent drink and this spoons was a lot better than some of their pubs i have been in.
On 7th February 2011
- rating: 7
[User has posted 6113 recommendations about 6113 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Steve of N21 left this review about The White Swan (JD Wetherspoon)
This Spoons is the nearest pub to Highbury and Islington station and was the first stop on my crawl of Upper Street this week. As previously mentioned bit of a strange interior but with some nice features, like the indoor balcony.
This is one of the better Spoons when it comes to Ale choice with ten handpumps as mentioned previously. Unfortunately the Midnight Bell wasn’t on when I visited, but the pint of Rebellion I had was perfectly fine.
Not recommended to visit on match days when the Ar*e are playing at home, unless you’re a fan of course.
On 18th July 2010
- rating: 6
[User has posted 2111 recommendations about 1992 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Steve C left this review about The White Swan (JD Wetherspoon)
This place is the usual cavernous Spoons with plenty of ale and a standard draught selection. There is a separate family area on the first floor which was closed off during my visit. There was an array of clientele ranging from the suit grabbing a last pint before making his way home to the old Irish soaks who had been in since opening time.
I have been in better Spoons pubs and I doubt that I will return to this one.
On 24th August 2009
- rating: 5
[User has posted 5251 recommendations about 5219 pubs]