The Swan Inn

The food was nice, but we spent two hours waiting for two courses and it was too late for the kids to have pudding. It was my son’s birthday, and the whole wait really took the mood out of the occasion. We left feeling disappointed and a bit chastised, and wouldn’t make the effort to come back during the week. We’ve been here twice before and really love this pub, especially for Sunday lunch. This time, heavy rain and a diversion made us a few minutes late, so we called ahead. They said they’d fit us in, though they were full and we might have to wait, which seemed fair. We arrived six minutes late and waited to be seated. After another 30 minutes, we asked if someone could take our order, but were told again that we’d have to wait because we were late.

The food was the real highlight. We had dinner and breakfast, both full of flavour, and couldn’t find anything to fault. The chef deserves special thanks, and the service was fantastic and friendly. It’s great value, with a lovely atmosphere. The inn is beautiful and full of history, restored with real care and taste. Our room was warm and comfortable, and the bathroom was nice and the cleanest we’ve seen in a hotel. It’s clearly very popular.

Tonight’s meal was a disaster, even though the service was attentive and the atmosphere lovely. The vegetarian in our party said every course tasted as if it had been cooked or fried in lard or beef dripping, vegetables included. The apple turnover was the same. Someone else couldn’t eat the rice pudding because the rice was still hard. Calling it chewy would have been generous. We gave this feedback and got an apology. Shame, it shouldn’t be that difficult. We’ve enjoyed the food on previous visits.

The warm, inviting décor and lovely location added to a really enjoyable meal at The Swan. We stopped in for Sunday roast and were thoroughly impressed. Everything was beautifully cooked and presented with care. I’d happily eat here again and definitely recommend it.