I THOUGHT it might be fun to encourage readers to take a day out in Oxford this week. But not a day trudging round the shops.

The area I have in mind centres on St Aldate's and Christ Church. I was there to interview the college chefs and discuss the apprenticeships they offer aspiring youngsters looking for a career in catering.

Because the day proved too lovely to waste, I lingered a little after the interview, first walking round Christ Church gardens and then Christ Church Meadow, soaking up the timeless atmosphere of this picturesque area.

Then, as it was such a glorious day, I went further, taking a short walk along the Thames towpath too.

I was called back to the real world when Christ Church's Great Tom bell struck one, reminding me it was time for lunch.

The Old Tom pub, situated opposite Christ Church and first mentioned in the history books in 1681, seemed the obvious choice. First called Jacob's Well, the pub changed its name to Great Tom in 1865 and to The Old Tom a decade or so later. Obviously, it takes its name from the bell, which chimes the correct time between 8am and 9pm, but also chimes 101 times at 9.05pm. All services in the cathedral start five minutes behind Greenwich, which is one of those delightfully quirky things that happen in Oxford. The sign outside is of the Great Tom Tower designed by Christopher Wren, so you can't miss it as you walk down St Aldate's.

This pub is not posh - it's best described as a student pub, though loads of visitors use it too. This means the meals, which are easy on the pocket, are of generous size and the beer is good.

The only way of describing the interior is to suggest it's a wide corridor, with loads of mirrors fixed to the walls to provide the illusion of space. The front half is for drinkers, and the back and little covered courtyard beyond for those who wish to eat.

I ordered half of Abbot ale, though I could have had Greene King IPA, and, having seen a sign outside boasting that The Old Tom served the best fish and chips in town, ordered fish and chips too.

Actually, they were exceedingly good fish and chips. The batter was crunchy, the fish moist and the chips had that 'clean fat' taste. I was amused to note that my fish (as you can see in the photograph) came served with a little Union Flag stuck on top. Was that for the tourists? Or to signify that the unnamed fish had been sourced from British waters? Whatever - it made me smile.

I was amazed to note that the price of my lunch was just £4.95. My total bill, with the half of Abbot ale, came to just £6.35, which - given I was in the centre of Oxford - was not bad at all. No wonder this pub gets quite busy at times.

The pamphlet I picked up outside advertising both The Old Tom and The White Horse, in Broad Street, which is owned by the same company, showed slightly different prices than those on the lunchtime menu I chose from. Possibly, the prices are higher in the evening.

Other dishes listed on the lunch menu included an 'Oodles of noodles' selection, which appeared to offer a choice of beef, chicken, or pork noodles, and for the vegetarians, Thai vegetable noodles with spice, all of which were £4.95. Traditional pig roast dinners, with mashed and roast potatoes, vegetables, Yorkshire pudding, apple sauce and stuffing were £6.95. A Greek Salad was £4.95 and tender steak with freshly-battered onion rings, peas, salad and chips was £7.95. Soup of the day with bread was £2.95 and puddings, such as sticky toffee pudding, £2.50.

I left feeling extremely satisfied with my meal and slightly envious of all those who had time to spend the rest of the day walking in the winter sunshine through Christ Church Meadow.