AFTER the best part of 200 years as a coaching inn for travellers along the A38 Worcester-Birmingham Road, the Swan was probably ready for a makeover.

And as we approach this newly renovated pub in Upton Warren one pleasant summer’s evening, initial impressions are that its owners have done a pretty decent job.

The exterior still has that invitingly rustic black-and-white coaching inn feel, while the main bar/restaurant area inside gets that difficult balance between original character and contemporary chic just about right.

What a shame, then, that at eight o’clock on a sunny Saturday night there is hardly anyone here to see it.

The Swan is a big, big pub, the restaurant vast and open-plan split over two levels, so to see a grand total of six diners when we walk in is a little disappointing – though more so for the owners, no doubt.

Things get worse when the wine arrives from the bar, a £17 pinot grigio which is extremely under-chilled, as if someone only remembered to put it in the fridge about three minutes before we arrived. Luckily, our smiling and eager-to-please young waitress quickly leaps into action, fetching a huge ice bucket which eventually brings the bottle down to drinking temperature – though not until we’re half way through the meal.

Unfortunately, she then finds herself forced to reel off a long list of menu items unavailable on the night. Once the exhausting list of non-events gets to its eighth or ninth dish, we start to feel vaguely like we’re in some toe-curling episode of Fawlty Towers.

However, when the food does arrive it is excellent – all the ingredients are apparently sourced from a 30-mile radius, and the freshness shows in the delicious flavours of the free-range meat and seasonal vegetables.

My companion really enjoys her gazpacho soup starter, while my smoked haddock souffle is tasty if worryingly filling. The lemon-and-garlic olives we order alongside are far too moreish.

My main course is a colossal meal of slow-cooked crispy belly pork served on pesto mash, full of crunch and flavour, and my companion’s Morrocan-style pot roast chicken and sausage dish with flat breads and couscous (£11) looks even better.

We enjoy them with side orders of vegetables – including a bowl of deliciously crunchy sugar snap peas – and finish with ice cream from a local farm and rice pudding.

At about £25 a head for a vast three-course meal, the Swan is not bad value and the food is certainly pretty good; iron out those service issues and, hopefully, the restaurant will be as full as its new look deserves.

HOW IT RATED

The Swan Inn, Worcester Road, Upton Warren, B61 7ET

Food ****

Value for Money ***

Ambience ***

Service**