The Swan & Mitre, Bromley

Nice looking building at the north end of the High Street. Much altered inside, leaving an island bar with various seating areas and two side rooms. Fairly basic furniture, and decor dominated by OPC promotional material for cheap food and drink offers. Two handpumps, offering Spitfire and Solebay (i.e. Adnams) Santa's Spirit at £2.90 (although it would have been less with a Camra discount if I had been a bit more attentive when ordering...). Overall, the place obviously has a few issues - given the notices taped to the toilet doors - but it was quiet when I called in

This old coaching Inn dates from around 1840 and is Grade II listed. Whilst the exterior has probably not changed much since it was built, the interior has undergone several transformations. There are remnants of walls and ceiling layouts that suggest the pub was once divided into 3 sections although it is all now largely knocked through and centred around an island bar. One side of the pub has some low propped ceilings and a kind of side room that seems to be a bit more peaceful set away from the hoardes who congegate around the bar. There are some old pictures of town but these are outnumbered by the Live Sports adverts. At the rear is a conservatory with Pool table and outside, probably the pub’s best feature, a large patio with plenty of space and seating that was quite popular during my visit thanks to the unseasonally warm evening. There is a basic selection of mass market beers and 1 Real ale pump offering Greene King IPA which doesn’t exactly set the pulses going for a return visit even at just £2.50 a pint. Food is also cheap and cheerful with get what you pay for meals between £3-£6, silly price breakfasts and the now ubiquitous grill/burger/curry and pint nights. The whole pub is clearly aimed at the lower end of the market and unfortunately it is probably better known for its unsavoury incidents than its merits as a pub although I didn’t feel particularly uncomfortable or threatened even though the place was quite busy with a youngish Saturday night crowd. The pub is hardly an essential stop and is basically only of any value to completist pub tickers, crawlers or anyone who thinks that an evening in Bromley is great fun.