IN my experience, pubs found next to stations (or "station pubs") are a mixed bag. I've been to many, and have always found them worthy of comment for one reason or another sometimes good and sometimes bad.

But The Copperfield, in Catford Road, Catford, is a different breed all together. If there's one thing which unites all station pubs it is character. The Copperfield has none.

As I walked through the front door of the Scottish & Newcastle hostelry, there was more than a whiff of the chain pub about the place.

At least the "like it or lump it" J D Wetherspoon pubs make up for their blandness with a decent selection of beers.

It was a midweek and the football was showing (on about 14 screens), attracting the obligatory herd of baseball cap-wearing oiks to establish their reign of terror around the bar.

Elbowing my way through them, I then had to wait five minutes for the barman to finish talking on his mobile phone and scratching his bottom before he made his ponderous way towards me.

From the sparse selection of beers on offer, I chose the most reliable tipple I could find and made my way to a seat in the corner of the bar with my companion.

Removing the grime from the tabletop with a thoughtfully discarded crisp packet, I took a sip of my pint. The rest of it disappeared rather quickly as my companion and I agreed the comparative charm of Catford Bridge train station was calling ...