From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary Englishfree houseˌfree ˈhouse noun [countable] DLBBCin Britain, a pub that can buy beer from different breweries (=a company that makes beer etc), rather than being controlled by one brewery
Examples from the Corpus
free house• Other amenities include a post office and general store, and a free house, the Bricklayers' Arms.• Ideally I would like a free house of my own but I have got nowhere to go.• The Canny Man's A free house boasting no change in the last 110 years.• A free house with a wide range of lagers, traditional ales, wines and spirits.• The Hermitage Lounge Worth making the acquaintance of this very friendly free house beloved by Morningsiders. 