Historic pub near Newport gives a nod to the past and a warm welcome to the present

The Swan Hotel was opened in the 1760s and stands on Eccleshall Road. It is a Georgian building which underwent a Joule’s Brewery restoration in the summer of 2020.

The large car park provides the entrance into the bar, which is adorned with reclaimed panelling and two large fireplaces, with each room providing a different look, with wood panelled walls, secluded areas for drinking and eating and unique objects on the wall.

It has undergone several changes in look and management over the years and is currently owned and run by Joule's, with Joe Bishop part of the team running the pub day to day.

The assistant manager said the charm of the building was one of the things which drew him there, as well as having had an excellent lunch.

He said: "I'm from Newport and I've always been aware of this pub and, one day, I came in for lunch and really enjoyed the atmosphere, while the people working there really made me feel welcome.

"It must have been good as I applied for a job that same day and just knew it was the place I wanted to place myself at, working on the bar and kitchen and, as I slowly built up trust and worked hard, I became assistant manager."

Mr Bishop said the warm welcome was what made the Swan as special as it was, with everyone made to feel at home straight away.

He said: "I think, straight away, you get great hospitality and you're always welcomed in with a hello and offer of food and a pint as necessary.

"We have plenty of tables that you can sit and drink at and it's very straightforward and not on the nose, we just want to make it nice and easy for our customers to come in and enjoy themselves.

"The fire's always on and we have proper roaring and crackling fires and we just like to welcome people in with a smile."

Being owned by Joule's Brewery, the beer range centres on selections from the brewery, including Joule’s Pale Ale, Slumbering Monk, Green Monkey and a rotating cold beer.

The pub also tries to feature a rotating list of guest ales from the local area, with the average price around £4 a pint and actually down as far as £3.50 on Fridays for Beer Club.

The main selling point for the pub is the food menu, with Mr Bishop saying the menu was full of variety and cooked with quality.

He said: "The size of the building that we have and the size of the staff means we can have a very large menu and there's a lot of variety on it.

"We have a good selection of vegan options and we also cater for a lot of gluten-free and allergens and make the time and effort to make everything gluten-free and not just stuff brought in from a supermarket.

"If I had to put my finger on one thing that I really liked on the menu, I'd have to pick the barnyard burger as it's really impressive when you see it and impressive when you taste it."

For Joe Bishop, the Swan Hotel has become a constant that people can rely on and enjoy quality and comfort.

He said: "I think it's a constant when you think about all the things that are going wrong in the world and, as well as constant, it's always nice and friendly, with good food and drink and you always know what you're getting.

"We have more variety and deals for people Monday to Friday and that's what people love as you really don't get many deals these days."