ON A cold, wet January night it was a joy to find myself walking into the warm, friendly and stylish bar of the Swan at Tytherington.

My first impression on entering was how busy it was at a time of year when most people are happy with a bottle of wine and the TV - regulars were chatting at the bar while tables of friends poured over menus.​

Taken over by Nikki and Shane Clark in 2017, the bar area has been tastefully refurbished to create a cosy, traditional atmosphere which is also modern and stylish.​

It has everything you would expect in a country pub – a large bar, which serves excellent real ales, exposed beams, wooden flooring plus a wood burner but with the addition of well-thought out design touches.​

An old mangle and a gramophone in the entrance add character while chic lighting adds a touch of sophistication.​

The reasonably priced menu caters for most tastes and has vegetarian, gluten free and vegan options.​

Starters include chilli king prawn ciabatta (£7.50) and grilled halloumi (£5.95).​

For those wishing to share a platter, options include baked Camembert (£9.95) and a fish platter (£18.95) and there are also pub classics such as liver and bacon (£12.95) plus homemade sausages (£12.95).​

You can also choose from the ‘something different’ selection which includes duck breast (£17.95) and beetroot, lentil, and kale wellington (£12.95) while specials when I visited featured the likes of seabass (£14.95) and stuffed mushrooms (£13.95)

There is also a grill selection including sirloin (£20.95), homemade beef burger (£12.95) and cauliflower burger (£11.95).​

The service is extremely efficient and friendly and there were quite a few members of staff on duty which meant no one had to wait to order.​

My starter of duck and Cointreau pate (£6.95) came in a thick, indulgent slice with Melba toast, salad and a sweet, gooey homemade chutney. ​

For mains, I opted for slow braised beef brisket (£14.95) which was beautifully presented, the meat glistening on top of a neatly placed portion of creamy mash. It was pure comfort food, perfect for a miserable winter’s night - tasty beef and heavenly mash with a sharp horseradish tang. After two rich dishes, I fancied a small portion of mint choc chip ice cream (£2 per portion) but other options include sticky toffee pudding and winter berries tart (both £5.95).

The Swan really is a flourishing eatery and well worth a visit.