The appropriately named College Arms is just east of Waltham Forest College and the Town Hall along Forest Road.

This used to be the pub to go to during the price wars ten or so years ago. Behind the bar was a line of leather-jacketed casks with their contents and prices chalked above them. There were generally about six beers available and somehow the landlord managed to keep the prices lower than any other outlet in the area.

The pub became extremely popular and, in the summer, customers would spill out onto the pavement from a frontage which was almost completely open.

Perhaps the pressure on the staff to serve all that beer was too great.

Anyway, the casks have gone, and there was only one beer, Courage Best, at a reasonable £2, when I paid my visit. It was also easy to find my way around because there were far fewer customers.

I was glad that they kept the Tiffany-style lamps and a particularly fine collection of photographs of jazz musicians, such as Miles Davis, Milt Jackson, Chet Baker and Duke Ellington. There are also some prints of works by Picasso and an excellent large photo of the old rogue himself.

But there have been some major changes since I was last here.

There is a large food bar open at lunchtime for cheap snacks, with toasted sandwiches, jacket potatoes, etc. They also have a pool table on a raised platform right at the front of the pub. You need to be pretty skilled or thick skinned to play here because you are not only on view to the rest of the pub but also to anyone passing by outside.

Another innovation, which is difficult to explain, is the arrangement of several tables into a long line as if Tony Blair was expected to come and hold a Cabinet meeting. This line of tables, which effectively stops customers from walking up to the bar, had one chap sitting at it who looked pretty lonely.

Still, they have kept the lavatories upstairs, providing exercise like climbing the south col and a descent which could be dangerous if you've had a few.

I assume that the snacks, alcopops and lagers are sufficient to attract the students at lunchtime. The limited range of beers, however, will certainly not ensure the numbers in the evening who used to put up with the difficulties of parking in the area. THE appropriately named College Arms is just east of Waltham Forest College and the Town Hall along Forest Road.

This used to be the pub to go to during the price wars ten or so years ago. Behind the bar was a line of leather-jacketed casks with their contents and prices chalked above them.

There were generally about six beers available and somehow the landlord managed to keep the prices lower than any other outlet in the area.

The pub became extremely popular and, in the summer, customers would spill out on to the pavement from a frontage which was almost completely open.

Perhaps the pressure on the staff to serve all that beer was too great.

Anyway, the casks have gone, and there was only one beer, Courage Best, at a reasonable £2, when I paid my visit. It was also easy to find my way around because there were far fewer customers.

I was glad that they kept the Tiffany-style lamps and a particularly fine collection of photographs of jazz musicians, such as Miles Davis, Milt Jackson, Chet Baker and Duke Ellington. There are also some prints of works by Picasso and an excellent large photo of the old rogue himself.

But there have been some major changes since I was last here.

There is a large food bar open at lunchtime for cheap snacks, with toasted sandwiches, jacket potatoes, etc.

They also have a pool table on a raised platform right at the front of the pub. You need to be pretty skilled or thick skinned to play here because you are not only on view to the rest of the pub but also to anyone passing by outside.

Another innovation, which is difficult to explain, is the arrangement of several tables into a long line as if Tony Blair was expected to come and hold a Cabinet meeting.

This line of tables, which effectively stops customers from walking up to the bar, had one chap sitting at it. He looked pretty lonely.

Still, they have kept the lavatories upstairs, providing exercise like climbing the South Col and a descent which could be dangerous if you've had a few.

I assume that the snacks, alcopops and lagers are sufficient to attract the students at lunchtime. The limited range of beers, however, will certainly not ensure the numbers in the evening who used to put up with the difficulties of parking in the area.