Mini Holland, rent caps and the wage paid to the Mayor of London were some of the questions put to Boris Johnson last night as he faced a sell-out audience at Walthamstow Assembly Hall.

Hundreds made their way to Forest Road for the chance to quiz the Mayor and London Assembly members, at the 29th People’s Question Time.

The event, being held for the first time in Waltham Forest, gave people the chance to ask questions on economy, policing, transport and other concerns.

One audience member called for the Mayor to stand down, pointing out that his wage is more than five times that of the average salary.

Talking about the borough in his opening speech, Boris Johnson praised police in the borough for reducing crime and said the economy, one of the smallest in London, is improving.

He said: “It is doing brilliantly in my view.

"Everybody knows Waltham Forest is the area that is really taking off.

"If I had any concerns about Waltham Forest it is what I said earlier on, the attraction of the area means that house prices are going up.”

On the controversial mini-Holland scheme, which was recently trialed in Walthamstow, the Mayor acknowledged there had been "some objections", but urged the borough to back the council to help improve safety for cyclists.

When asked about rent capping, the Mayor and other members flatly refused to consider it.

Andrew Boff, London Assembly Member said: “The result of rent capping would be to reduce the supply of housing. That is the last thing we want to do in London.”

One woman asked about the regeneration of the Marlowe Road Estate in Walthamstow, saying it ‘smells of gentrification", with the number of council houses slashed.

Mr Johnson replied: “I am not sure what the aroma of gentrification is, coffee? Macchiato?

“We are building more homes since we have since the 1930s and we are doing it as sensitively as we can.”

Businessman Alessandro Pinna, who faces losing his coffee kiosk at Walthamstow Central station due to expansion work, asked for help to fight Network Rail.

Mr Johnson called on the people of Walthamstow to help.

“I hope everybody listening will make sure to buy a coffee from you at Walthamstow station and foreswear big chains, none of whom pay tax in this country, he added.

London Assembly member Navin Shah criticised the cost of public transport, saying bus fares had risen by 43.7 per cent since 2003.

Boris Johnson countered by referring to a number of improvements which were needed to the network, including improved disability access, which cost millions of pounds.

The Mayor and other members congratulated John Stewart, of campaign group HACAN East, when he asked about the consultation by London City Airport over flight path changes and potential increases in noise levels.

Mr Johnson said he was "absolutely right" in his concern that people’s quality of life could be disrupted and supported calls for the airport to engage further with residents.