YOU wouldn't normally expect to get much of a gourmet experience downtown in Swindon. With the best will in the world, it's well accepted that most of the pubs are aimed at the drinking crowd rather than the eating crowd.

There's nothing wrong with that per se, and indeed there are a few jewels to be dug out - the Broadwalk certainly used (and may well still) to do a very good Thai, you're safe at Walkabout and the redone Sir Daniel, which was formerly Edwards, looks promising - but they're hardly gastropubs.

And like much of the middle of Swindon, the area itself doesn't look great. On a grey rainy day, the concrete shades are enough to make you want to run away fast.

But if you don't try, you don't find out.

One of the barmen from Big Fish, in Fleet Street, dropped into the conversation that the pub had had a new menu put in, so it seemed only fair to give it a go.

So we popped down for lunch on a Saturday. Having sworn off alcohol for a few weeks in a bid to get fit for summer, it's only right to cheer yourself up at the weekend with some (semi) fancy food, or at least a step up from home-cooked pasta.

And, despite the rather unprepossessing exterior to the pub, and despite the fact that the menu was just one printed sheet of paper, it really was rather impressive.

We chose a fish salad - which for a large portion was just under £7 and came with many different types of fish, including prawns, salmon, squid rings and mussels - and a burger with the usual trimmings.

The burger (a touch under £6) was ace. It was a proper piece of meat that looked and tasted like it had been put together from mince by hand rather than coming off a production line, and was served with a crisp, crunchy salad and well-cooked chips.

The fish salad was generous in size, with a variety of seafood and made a tasty and filling meal, although the mayonnaise would have been better served on the side, my companion informed me.

Our Saturday was quiet, but that may be due to the fact that there was not much sport on, and there is a fairly comprehensive Sky package inside.

The menu includes pub staples, such as meatballs, chilli, and pies, as well as a range of salads and steaks.

Big Fish really should be shouting about it more.

The Big Fish

20 Fleet Street, Swindon,

SN1 1RQ

01793 421212

Meals served: Every day from noon to 6pm except Sunday

Sunday roasts: Noon to 5pm