The Swan, Walton on Thames

I should start by saying that I didn�t visit the Swan before its recent refurb (I was reliably informed it was in dire need of updating). However since it reopened I�ve been a few times and have been rather impressed.

�The Swan� is a Young�s pub, so as is typical of their refurbishments, its been far reaching. Although I can see how if you were an �old regular� you may feel it�s now a bit bland or generic I do think they�ve done a good job. It�s been kitted out to a good standard and has a cosy, stylish feel inside with what looks like a good dining room area. The work doesn�t stop inside, the huge beer garden has been revamped with good, spacious seating providing good views to the river - which is great, while the summer lasts...

The menu is simple but good quality, really just what you want from a good pub in the summer (they also have a good outside BBQ menu). Unfortunately, the first time I we went in the evening we were told they had run out of literally half the things on the menu from the night before and as they would have had a whole day to restock, don�t think this was an acceptable excuse. As others have commented, the service can be a bit slow at times but the staff are all very friendly and attentive (enough for me happily leave a tip).

This pub has steadily improved each time I�ve been and I think the small faults it has are due more to the new staff adjusting to a sudden rise in customers than anything else. Even with these niggles �The Swan� is leagues ahead of its neighbour �The Anglers� which must now surely be very worried as it will probably now only get it custom from day-trippers who get to it first along the river before they find the soon to be very good Swan.

18 Jul 2008 09:28

The Anglers, Walton on Thames

I moved to Walton in 2006 and my first experience of the Anglers on a lovely sunny day drinking a pint looking over house particulars whilst sitting buy the river and thinking to myself what a great local it would be. How wrong first impressions can be!

By rights the Anglers should be the best pub in Walton by a country mile, it�s a lovely old building right on a beautiful stretch of the Thames and only a short walk from the bustle of the High Street. Unfortunately, once you look closely, you realise how much of a shambles it really is. Firstly it�s dirty to the point it actually smells downstairs (possibly as a result of the rancid gents toilet upstairs) and you can consider it a good day if you get a clean glass. I drank there this week with my wife and friends and the service was truly appalling and to add insult to injury most of the larger was off! The staff seem to be more interested in looking pretty (that�s just the boys) than serving you and do an excellent impression of someone who has spent the afternoon smoking something they shouldn�t as they seem to be in a world of their own most of the time.

If I was to pick a positive point, the Anglers does have a relaxed friendly atmosphere and families are clearly welcome. Unfortunately they are probably too welcome, as there were children running round the bar by the look of many of the drinkers; they were probably celebrating having just received their national insurance cards!

In general I have to echo the points of �gtelforth� (except the point about Weatherspoons!) and can only think that the positive comments here are from employees and people who like the pub because they can drink there with-out ID. If I were to sum up the Anglers, it has the feel of a pub the owners have lost interest in and that�s running out of money. The lovely open fires remain unlit in winter and it�s now dirty, tired and will soon start to look tatty. It�s such a shame, this pub has the potential to be the best and busiest not just Walton, but in the local area but it disappoints over and over again. If it wasn�t by the river it would have probably had to close a long time ago. Please, sort it out!

4 Apr 2007 14:11