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The Glue Pot, Swindon
Swindon
SN1 5BP
Reviews (Current Rating Average: 8½ of 10) see review guidelines
Will Larter left this review about The Glue Pot
A Good Beer Guide regular, with a choice of three Hop Back beers and one from Downton at the time of my visit. I had halves of Crop Circle and New Forest Ale, which were both in very good condition. I didn't click with the pub ethos in the same way as the nearby Beehive, possibly because of two or three people gathered around the bar who seemed to talk - quite loudly - non-stop the whole time I was here. I did like the high backed wooden booths, and the general prevelance of wood around the place. A must visit, but bring ear plugs.
On 20th October 2026
- rating: 7
[User has posted 4937 recommendations about 4518 pubs]
Danny O'Revey left this review about The Glue Pot
A traditional corner pub with basic pub carpet, then the seating is wood booths which slightly contrasts but gives it a nice feel. Good beer range means its worth a visit
On 12th October 2026
- rating: 7
[User has posted 1636 recommendations about 1613 pubs]
Komakino . left this review about The Glue Pot
On the burgeoning 'to do' list, a window of opportunity gave me the chance to drop into The Glue Pot: which could have been The Melting Pot, choosing as I did to visit in the June 2026 heatwave with the temperature outside near on 35°C. At approx. 3pm on a Thursday afternoon, there was already a handful of people in attendee: a clutch of four Gents at the bar (a running club, albeit it didn't look like they'd run here) and a couple of couples in the boothed seating to the right of room on entry. With five Hop Back beers available on cask, along with an interloper in Downton New Forest Ale. Looking for something low ABV and light, I selected a pint of Hop Back Calypso, but a Freudian Slip saw me asking for a pint of 'Calippo' which brought a smile from the barmaid and a bar-propping local, also bringing forth a discussion regarding a venture to serve pints of melted ice lollies. An eventual NBSS 'Very Good' pint cost me a mere £4. The sole survivor in Swindon's Railway Village after the 21st Century demise of the nearby Bakers Arms and Cricketers, this is a delight, and deserves a cooler revisit at a later date.
On 26th June 2026
- rating: 8
[User has posted 1116 recommendations about 1116 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Quinno _ left this review about The Glue Pot
A couple of recent visits found the same old Glue Pot, almost zero change. Possibly the cheapest beer in Swindon outside of the two Spoons, there’s usually four of five Hop Back alongside a couple of Downton with some cider thrown onto the mix. They’re always willing to have least one dark on, with Downton Moonstruck (NBSS 4) and Hop Back Entire Stout (4.5) slipping down way too easily. Sensible vaping allowed inside, they draw the line at wallies who turn-up with 80’s discotheque fog machines. Perennial GBG listing and for good reason. Think it deserves an upping by a point due to sheer top-level consistency.
February 2020
Popped in for a swift one before my train. Intrinsically the same as my previous review four years back; still plenty of ale and cider to choose from, with Hop Back and Downton majoring. I plumped for an Entire Stout which was decent (NBSS 3). Akin to Aqua's visit, there were a few locals who looked like they’d been in there most of the afternoon - the conversations about cheese were odd. Rated 8
July 2015
Traditional Hop Back alehouse (ignore the Archers brewery sign that for some reason still hangs outside), in a fairly basic square room. Wood-heavy interior, with a selection of high-backed seating booths to the right side. Also, unusually for Swindon, a small amount of exterior bench seating. Rock music for background noise. Eight ales; 5x Hop Back, 2x Downton and B&T Mild (good shape). Also a good selection of ciders. Should be the default stop for the railway village part of Swindon. Rated 8
On 24th April 2023
- rating: 9
[User has posted 6368 recommendations about 6346 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Ian Mapp left this review about The Glue Pot
IMHO, the best pub in Swindon and I am grateful to the Good Beer Guide for pointing it out to me.
Lovely photo from Helen I, showing it in its full stone glory. The last remaining pub in the railway village.
Steamed up, full height windows promised life on an early Sunday evening. A single roomer, with a large tasting note board that tells you all you need to know (except the price).
Hop Back beers aplenty and the Winter Lightening in perfect condition.
Little booths available for discreet seating. Although, of course, you can hear every word from the next booth.
Top drinking pub.
On 11th January 2023
- rating: 10
[User has posted 1926 recommendations about 1886 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Moby Duck left this review about The Glue Pot
A corner Hop Back pub that is very much a traditional alehouse, there is a mix of wooden benches, tables, stools and drinking shelves along with a couple of converted barrels to sit at. Eight handpumps on with six from Hop Back and one from Downton leaving one handle blank , beers were also displayed on a chalkboard with prices and a second board with tasting notes, there was a third chalkboard for the available Ciders, 11 in all.This pub obviously has a strong locals base as it started to fill up on a Thursday lunchtime, all entrants greeted by the barmaid name.
A really good start to my wander around Swindon with the minor quibble that my Hop Back Citra was served in a still slightly warm glass but such was the rest of the pub experience it doesn't detract from my overall score.
On 8th January 2022
- rating: 8
[User has posted 2410 recommendations about 2373 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Aqualung . left this review about The Glue Pot
This is a pub I've visited a few times before not just as a Hop Back outlet but also as an Archer's pub. It's a basic single room which on my Saturday evening visit had a few locals who looked like they had been there all afternoon and a coffin-dodging cycling group from nearby Wanborough.
The bar has eight hand pumps which had Hop Back Melony Sippit, Summer Lightning, Entire Stout, Crop Circle & Citra, Downton New Forest & Apple Blossom and Ilkley Hanging Stout. I went for the Summer Lightning (£3.30) and Ilkley Stout (£3.50) which were both in excellent nick.
I'm not sure why but it didn't seem quite as good as I remembered but is still well worth a visit.
On 12th May 2016
- rating: 9
[User has posted 2143 recommendations about 2143 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Spinko Spinko left this review about Glue Pot
Seems to be the Hopback brewery tap although I'm not sure if it's the official one. Several Hopback beers on and some from Downton too. Otherwise quite a bare kind of pub, wooden seats, barrels for putting drinks on. They serve pickled eggs which always makes me a score a pub one point higher.
On 7th January 2013
- rating: 8
[User has posted 44 recommendations about 44 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
john mcgraw left this review about Glue Pot Inn
Great little traditional street corner in Brunel's Railway Village.Owned by Hopback brewery it always has 8 real ales on tap with up to 4 draft ciders.Very well worth the 10/15 mins walk from the railway station.
On 5th October 2009
- rating: 10
[User has posted 2044 recommendations about 2025 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Just a quick pint, then I'm off left this review about Glue Pot
Good, old-fashioned (in the best sense of the phrase) pub, with an excellent selection of 8 Hopback and Downton beers. Nice pint of Elderquad. My vote for the best pub (by some way) in Swindon's Railway Village.
On 15th July 2008
- rating: 9
[User has posted 9258 recommendations about 9258 pubs]