A bar and restaurant in Swanage, Dorset, with more than a century of history has unveiled its new identity in a bid to secure its future and encourage more people through the doors.
The Swanage Conservative Club has officially begun trading as The Swanbrook Bar and Restaurant, with new signage now installed at the building on Kings Road West overlooking the Swan Brook.
Club chair Andrew Moore and secretary Amie Troup at the newly renamed Swanbrook bar
Huge benefits for the town
While the Conservative Association is still based at the premises, the rebrand has dropped all mention of being a club to tackle a long standing misconception that the venue is exclusively for members.
Conservative Club chair Andrew Moore said the move is designed to make it clear that all are welcome, whether they are members, Conservatives, or simply looking for somewhere to eat, drink or socialise.
And he added that as a large entertainment hub close to the beach and the town centre, the Swanbrook has some huge benefits for the town.
The building boasts professional sized snooker tables, a darts lane about to be upgraded to tournament standard, an events room with a stage capable of holding 120 people and food and drink served on two floors – with a lift for wheelchair users.
The building now known as the Swanbrook Bar and Restaurant has more than 100 years of history behind it
“We’d like to change the perception”
Andrew Moore said:
“In the past, without a shadow of a doubt, having the building known as the Conservative Club put people off coming here because it sounds political and that it was necessary to be a member to come through the doors.
“We are, of course, still the Conservatives, we are not trying to hide that, but we would like to change the perception of people walking past that perhaps they can’t come inside because they are not members of the club, or perhaps not Conservatives.
“The centre, which was built for Swanage Conservatives in 1911, has had its good times and bad, but recently it was doing really well until Covid, which brought with it all the drama we know about.
“So we have taken the historic decision to begin to trade under the banner of the Swanbrook Bar and Restaurant, obviously taking inspiration from the Swan Brook flowing outside our window here.”
A stage, a bar, space to seat up to 120 people – the Swanbrook’s underused upstairs events room
“A very versatile space”
Andrew added:
“What we want to project is that this is primarily a bar, restaurant and entertainment centre, open to all, and our objective is to make the building accessible for the whole community.
“We have upstairs one of the biggest function rooms in the town, capable of comfortably seating 120 people, which we are keen to make more use of.
“It has a stage and its own bar, it’s a very versatile space and central to the town. We can use it for what anyone wants – birthday parties, weddings, wakes, meetings, music nights, local exhibitions, the sky’s the limit.
“And we have a large bar and restaurant space downstairs too. When it is heaving with people down on the seafront in Swanage, and the seafront bars are packed, you will always find a little corner here to sit down and enjoy your drink, and still only be a short walk back to the beach.”
A carvery service was on offer for the Seniors Lunch Club
New menu based on pub favourites
As part of the relaunch, the Swanbrook has introduced a new menu focused on traditional pub favourites, including battered cod and chips, burgers, macaroni cheese, sausage and mash, curry, jacket potatoes and basket meals.
Lunch service has been extended from noon until 3 pm, and the venue plans to reintroduce Friday evening meals from July, while weekend events which used to run from 9 pm until midnight are going to start and finish earlier to make them more attractive.
It is also continuing its popular Sunday roast lunches and will also be looking to expand its carvery service.
Live football, pub darts or a quiet drink with friends – the Swanbrook Bar can offer it all
Expanding entertainment
Alongside food and drink, the Swanbrook is expanding its entertainment programme – regular live music events, tribute acts and karaoke nights are planned, with the Blues Bruvvers tribute band already booked to perform on Friday July 3rd 2026.
Pub sports facilities remain a major attraction, with competition standard snooker tables in constant use and a new darts area being developed. The Swanbrook is upgrading its dartboards to tournament standard and hopes to host darts competitions in the future.
Among regular events at the Swanbrook is the Seniors Lunch Club, held on the last Wednesday of every month, which attracts around 40 people for a carvery meal, bingo and a raffle, with proceeds supporting both the club and local charities, including Heroes Haven and Purbeck Parkies.
The Swan Brook flows past the building, inspiring its new name
“We will give it a jolly good go”
Andrew Moore said:
“One of our venue’s greatest strengths is its role as a welcoming space for local residents, particularly older people, who will visit us because they know it’s a safe, welcoming place to come into.
“We are not unique, other pubs in the town are struggling and I can’t say we are more special than anyone else, but after 100 years we owe it to the town to keep this place alive, and we will give it a jolly good go.
“We are determined that we are going to get there, but we need the support of the town to give us a push to get going again.
“The more people we attract, the more events we can put on and hopefully employ more staff once we are generating extra business. The world is our oyster.”
Full sized competition snooker tables are one of the big draws of the Swanbrook
Further information
- Until the Swanbrook gets its own branded website, events information is on Facebook
