What’s in a name? Well, for locals using this 19th-century Westbury-on-Trym pub, quite a lot really.
Although the sign outside says The Black Swan, most regulars know it as The Dirty Duck or The Mucky Duck. Drinkers with even longer memories still refer to it as The Duck. Four names for the price of one must be a record for a Bristol pub.
Whatever you call it, this old pub on Stoke Lane – a couple of doors from The Prince of Wales – is still very much a community favourite. On a cold autumn day, it’s one of those cosy boozers where you want to linger for a second or maybe even a third pint.
A two-room pub separated by a central bar, it has a large beer garden at the back and benches at the front. Inside, there are original stone walls, vintage brewery mirrors and even a small snug called ‘The Boardroom’ comprising one table perfect for larger groups.
To the left of the bar in the front room, there’s a corner known as ‘The Arnage’ (it’s named after a type of Bentley). This special area is decorated with pictures of past and present regulars with their collectable motors.
The Black Swan is part of the Wickwar Wessex Pub Company and two Wickwar ales – Bob and Falling Star – are always on tap. There is also a guest beer (on this visit it was Hanlons Citra IPA) plus Amstel, Moretti and two Brixton keg beers. For cider drinkers, there’s Inch’s, Thatchers Gold and Blackthorn Dry, with Guinness and Murphy’s for stout fans.
The pub is popular with sports fans, too. Both rooms have large screens showing matches on Sky or TNT Sports.
When it comes to food, there are bar snack-style ‘small plates’ including homemade pork and pickle sausage rolls and chipotle chicken wings. There are also sandwiches, burgers, a ploughman’s and main meals including jerk chicken curry or ham, egg and chips.
A local pub where dogs and children (until 8pm) are welcome, there’s also an amusing board on the wall translating people’s names into ‘your real ale name’. Using your mother’s first initial, your first initial, your birth month and your surname, the board apparently conjures up your real ale name. Of course it does.
But with alleged surnames such as Wobbler, Licker, Sniffer and Botherer among the more printable descriptions of the locals, it’s soon apparent that this board is all very tongue-and-cheek. You could say it’s as dubious as the pub’s four names.
The Black Swan, 92 Stoke Lane, Westbury-on-Trym, Bristol, BS9 3SP.