The Grapes, Aylesbury

A year is a long time in the pub trade, and could this now be the vintage one that The Grapes was crying out for? The whole place has changed in the last 12 months since my last visit; it�s cleaner, the beer�s better the staff are very good and it now has a landlord (manager) that actually wants people to come in, have a drink and have a good time.

There seems to be more organisation there now and more reasons to return. I was in there on Saturday from early afternoon to early evening enjoying the �12 Bands in 12 Hours� marathon that was organised, whilst enjoying good company and reasonably priced beer.
It was a courageous event to go with considering the times we live in; and for all involved, I hope it reaps rewards.

In my opinion, and all things considered, The Grapes has become a very agreeable stomping ground.

27 Aug 2009 20:37

The Swan Hotel, Thame

An update; I visited this place of an evening last weekend and the Reports I were given were confirmed as pretty accurate. We were welcomed with dim lighting, a sparse crowd and a smell.
Never in the tills of fallen Cygnus was no such money taken by so many who are now so few. The patron ain'ts have gone on deserstion.

Customers were treated to Heart FM being 'pumped' through the television. Now i'm not sure of the slogan "Give it some Heart", but what this establishment desperately needs back is the Soul that once kept this little gem afloat.

Compare this pub with another on the market and The Swan gets flown out of the water.

I give you the Black Horse, which is not listed on this site.

I like this place. You've got good beer, good service and a good atmosphere. Not much else is needed really.

During the day it's filled with food lovers, lunchtime desk-jockeys and the senior service. You can really appreciate listening to the veteran anecdotes of these men who have been there, done it and got the singlet.
At night it's an asylum of callow youths, party people and the all of sundry of the night's drinkers who are out in Thame.
There's such a mix of people that get in here that if Berie Bassett walked in off the street, he'd probably say to himself, "Christ, not another work's do".

The great composer John Sullivan once wrote, "Only Fools and Horses Work" and the Black Horse certainly works for me.

Carlsberg don't do this pub, but it's still probably the best pub in Thame. So good in fact that it may not appear on comparison websites, especially not CompareTheBeerTat.com. Simples.

10 Jul 2009 16:00

The Swan Hotel, Thame

Since the Brothers Grin stopped keeping bar here a couple of years ago, this place has gone downhill with such devastating affects that Jack and Jill are wondering whether there really was a necessity to have that tap fitted.

Contrary to recent reports, although this pub has been acting like a fairground ride, it still seems to find itself lost in the Hall of Mirrors rather than the Hall of Fame.

Since they left, this pub has changed hands more times than an Olympic Relay baton, but has never stayed on track to provide good service or a good atmosphere, two things that you could always rely on.
On some occasions, you can walk in and there is no-one in there; staff and customers alike, lunchtime speaking of course. However, the Reports I�ve heard do not suggest that the evenings have a much better outlook.

When the beer is served, it is good. But good beer doesn�t always bring success. You need a suitable location to enjoy it. Imagine if Wordsworth had never taken a walk through a shady glen�

This venue still has the potential to be a cracking little watering hole, but with the way things are going, they�ll end up with the wrong sort of �hole� that the proprietors are after.

Is this pub going to end up the Swanny or will it return to the glory days of Big Brother, Little Brother? Who knows, you decide.

1 Jul 2009 15:38