Not already a member?
Join our community and
- Rate & review pubs
- Upload pictures
- Add events
JOIN for free NOW
Chat about:
Disappointment of the week with Mobyduck
on the Pub Forum
Detail Pages
Original Swan, Cowley, Oxford
Cowley
Oxford
OX4 2LF
Reviews (Current Rating Average: 2 of 10) see review guidelines
Tris C left this review about Original Swan
Dating from 1854 and rebuilt in 1930, this place was acquired by Arkell’s in 1997, a beast which I first encountered – though didn’t visit – in November 1999 on the way to the Cowley Centre, encountering it again around a year ago, when like Steve, I found a place which looked closed; indeed, I couldn’t work out how to get in. A return the other day and yes, it’s open, the customer denied a typical welcome by entering via the front door – which would be too easy – but having to go through the car park with some smoking cabins to a side door.
Like Steve, I too couldn’t fathom how to get into the front bar – access (or lack of) being a theme here – me finding myself in an utterly dreary creamy grey room as described, with bare boarding and basic furniture, complemented with little décor. A TV showing the football was on but only intermittently, seemingly cutting out periodically which allowed the other two elderly customers time to comment on the action.
Again, like Steve, I clocked three pumps but this time the 3B clip was reversed, me making do with a half of Stella at £2.20, served by a parttime barman who seemed to spend most of the time in the inaccessible front bar. Indeed, the website makes mention of the ghost of a former landlord which is rarely seen, so perhaps this was the ghost in question?
One has to wonder just how this place can survive; it’s also a B&B in this remote location. Due to a different marking system, I would have given this a ‘3’, but wouldn’t want to give the impression that my experience was better than the other two reviewers.
On 5th September 2023
- rating: 2
[User has posted 1983 recommendations about 1949 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Steve C left this review about Original Swan
The Original Swan looked closed when I walked past early on a recent Thursday evening. I didn’t try the front door, but all the blinds were drawn so I assumed. As I walked around the rear I decided to give the back door from the car park a push and was surprised that it opened. This door led to a large square open plan back bar with a long serving counter on the rear wall. The décor was sparse, but a few tables and chairs sat in the centre and along the right wall were some booths. All the televisions were off, and background music played. The bar supports three hand pumps, two of which were unused leaving Arkell’s 3B as the lone cask choice. Some people were playing pool in the long front bar, but I couldn’t work out how to get in there. The service was friendly, but I’ll not be returning.
On 26th December 2022
- rating: 2
[User has posted 5233 recommendations about 5201 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Komakino . left this review about The Original Swan
Despite the size of the pub externally, internally, the functioning bar area is a boxy, rectangular room with cream walls and battleship grey third-height panelling accessible from the car park (the room accessible from Oxford Road appears to be a function room). The bar takes up most of the right-hand side of the room and there's evidence of a couple of entrances to the other room having been walled up. The floor is mainly (newly) carpeted with a polished wood bar apron and a pool table takes centre stage in the middle of the room. There's some bench-style brown leather seating around the periphery with two semi-booths to the right as you enter. Of the three handpumps, two clips were reversed (one was Arkells 3B and the second another Arkells I couldn't quite make out - I did spot Arkells beermats during my stay). Several TV screens showed the North London derby as well as a Scottish Premier League game and a clutch of locals, predominantly on the fizz, sat on stools at the bar, whilst the presumed landlord preferred to play on a gaming machine. A half of Guinness was £1.90 and the one of the few redeeming features I spotted was a framed black and white signed photo of the victorious 1986 Milk Cup-winning side on display behind the bar.
On 7th November 2016
- rating: 2
[User has posted 1074 recommendations about 1074 pubs]