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Detail Pages
The College Arms, Bloomsbury, WC1
WC1
WC1E 7DH
Reviews (Current Rating Average: 6 of 10) see review guidelines
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Graham Coombs left this review about The College Arms
The 2019 refurbishment has brought in the standard Stonegate modern style, with lots of recycled timber, tiled walls with inane brewing graphics and industrial shelving. Opposite the bar is a row of high tables with stools, while the far end has a raised area with banquettes. Downstairs is signed 'Crafty Little Room' but not visited. Three handpumps offered Doom Bar plus a couple of interesting guests (New River Riverbed Red and 5 Inch Drop IPA) while 6 craft beer taps on the rear wall had fairly usual offerings from Brewdog, Beavertown and Camden. Pleasant enough, and the prices didn't seem too outrageous for the area.
On 22nd January 2020
- rating: 7
[User has posted 3352 recommendations about 3289 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Tris C left this review about The College Arms
Originally The Camden Arms then The University Tavern in 1971 and The College Arms since 2002, the pub has a very contemporary/slightly modern interior with conventional furniture, studded brown leatherette sofas, high furniture, low furniture, powder blue walls, patterned wallpaper and birdcages hanging from the ceiling, modified as lights. The floor is of course bare boarded. There's food but it's more a hotch-potch of styles ranging from fish 'n' chips to something more exotic; not a gastropub then.
Ales on: Moreland's Old Speckled Hen, Greene King IPA and Adnam's Ghost Ship which was very decent and at £2.10 a half, good value for the area.
I'd come here again, but the lighting in here is painfully gloomy and there are better pubs across the road in Fitzrovia.
On 30th April 2016
- rating: 5
[User has posted 1994 recommendations about 1960 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Real Ale Ray left this review about The College Arms
A Faucet Inns pub comprising of a modern interior, painted in pastel tones. The back wall was wallpapered and a display of bird cages where displayed hanging from the central part of the ceiling. Three ales on chrome handpumps, I went for the London Beer Factory Chelsea Blonde, which was in fair condition.
On 30th July 2015
- rating: 6
[User has posted 3382 recommendations about 3381 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
hondo . left this review about The College Arms
Interior as described below 3 real ales and food served.
On 23rd April 2015
- no rating submitted
[User has posted 2883 recommendations about 2820 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Just a quick pint, then I'm off left this review about The College Arms
The clue is in the name here, with the pub being located close to the University of London and RADA (and also a short distance North West of the British Mesuem). The four openings along the front are comprised of floor-to-ceiling screens which can be opened out in good weather (with one always open as the main door). Inside, the refurbished decor is fairly light and modern, with the compact bar to one side and a variety of high and low furniture. Further seating available on a small raised area at the back, below ground (with stairs at either end of the bar and a little front patio area. Three handpumps on the counter, with Youngs London Gold, Westerham Spirit of Kent and Portobello Market Porter (£3.90). Can get very crowded, but otherwise not too bad spot for a pint if in the area.
On 29th March 2014
- rating: 6
[User has posted 8117 recommendations about 8117 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Steve C left this review about The College Arms
It was very quiet in here last Saturday afternoon; in fact there were only three other people in and they were all sitting together. The barman was friendly enough and poured a decent pint of Guinness, but it was on the pricey side at £3.80. Maybe the students that this pub is aimed at get big discounts with their ID cards as I cannot see them paying that sort of money for a pint. I spotted Adnams on one of the four hand pumps, but I cannot recall any of the other ales, although there is a Cask Marque accredited sign in the door window. A range of standard draught products are also available alongside Staropramen and Burgers, pizzas and pies seem to be the main offerings from the kitchen, but again these were far from cheap for a pub that is in effect a student bar.
It is not the biggest pub, but the bar area is very small meaning that there is plenty of seating and at the rear of the pub there is a raised area that has a massive table for large groups. I’d imagine that this table is moved when the advertised live music is in progress. The pub décor is a bit shabby and some quirky tat can be found on the walls including a chalk board listing national events ranging from test matches to sponge cake day and men’s grooming day. There is also a function room downstairs that I didn’t visit, but I did read that it is available for free hire. There is a plasma screen on the back wall that was showing a rugby game on BBC 1 and I didn’t spot any signs for Sky Sports.
This is not a pub I would actively seek out again as thankfully my studying days are long gone.
On 4th September 2010
- rating: 5
[User has posted 5268 recommendations about 5236 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Chris 87 left this review about The College Arms
Went in on a saturday lunchtime to find only one ale on - Adnam's Old. I presume the students at the nearby College of Law drank it dry during the week although that might perhaps be a generous assessment. The place was near empty at ground level although there appeared to be something going on in the basement, perhaps a private function. For a while it was adequate enough, until the barmaid began fiddling with a portable heater or something and managed the short circuit the electrics, causing the Telly showing the darts to switch off just as it was getting good. She showed no real willingness to remedy this problem, which put me in a bit of a bad mood. I necked the Old and left.
On 10th January 2010
- rating: 4
[User has posted 179 recommendations about 179 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Philip Carter left this review about The College Arms
It's now called The College Arms. That previous statement by me seems stupid now. Anyway, this pub is just off Tottenham Court Road. It has gone through many name changes, University Tavern, Vertical Refreshment bar, University Tavern (again) and now the College Arms. Does get busy at end of term and at lunch times in the summer. Has a downstairs area.
On 1st February 2009
- rating: 8
[User has posted 757 recommendations about 720 pubs]