One of a number of pubs in this corner of Bromley, the Freelands Tavern is a Greene King establishment whose near-neighbour (the Red Lion) is, rather curiously, of the same brewery. These are two markedly different places, however.

The Freelands Tavern is one of the brewery's recently-designated rugby pubs: a life-size cut-out of a menacing-looking Lawrence Dallaglio reminds the clientele of this fact. It has, in the last eighteen months or so, had a change of management and been done up, and it now has the air of a civilised local in a reasonably affluent area - which of course it is.

The makeover has been done tastefully enough, but the pub lacks a certain something. We can't fault the polite staff, the food (delicious stew at three pounds, on our visit), the pleasant patio, the comfortable seating (which includes three leather settees in a circle at the rear) or the industrial caricatures by the artist John Ireland (who has exclusive picture rights, it would seem) - it's all just a bit self-consciously middle class. Having "FT" in large letters on the exterior signage doesn't do much to dispel this impression.

NEAREST STATION: Bromley North station
FEATURES: function room available, outdoor seating