The Six Bells, 33 High Street, Colerne SN14 8DD.

(01225) 742413

At the first sign of a thaw in the big freeze we ventured a few miles along the road to the Six Bells in Colerne for a meal with friends.

We’d booked as the last time we had eaten at the pub – several years ago – the place had been heaving. We need not have bothered.

Apart from one man at the bar reading a newspaper, the pub was deserted. However two groups of friendly young people came in towards the end of the evening.

The old, stone building could be cosily atmospheric. But it wasn’t. What appeared to be a wood burning stove in the dining area turned out to be gas-fired and, although we sat right next to it, we were not as warm as we would have liked.

The menu is on one of the walls which are decorated with colourful wood-mounted regimental insignia, no doubt in acknowledgement of the nearby military base.

But it turned out the weather had prevented deliveries and only two out of half a dozen starters were on offer – calamari and garlic bread.

Similarly several of the main courses were not available, although we were able to pick four different meals.

We decided on three portions of garlic bread between us for starters and were told by the woman serving that she was on her own in the bar and kitchen that evening, and would be a little while because everything was cooked from scratch. Fair enough. Later, a man appeared behind the bar as it became busier.

My husband went and chivvied in the kitchen when the garlic bread hadn’t appeared after more than half an hour. It duly appeared and very good it was too. It was beautifully crisp toasted ciabatta bread with plenty of garlic butter.

My husband had steak and mushroom pie with a crust made by our cook/waitress who said pastry wasn’t her forte, but it passed muster.

I had an ample portion of scampi, with chips and a creamy coleslaw and salad, Sandra had Cumberland sausages with a mountain of mash and Tom had a gammon steak and egg with chips and salad.

All the meals were well cooked and very enjoyable and in the end we felt our cook had done us proud.

The bill, including a bottle of house red at a modest £9, was £50.

Small car park and limited on-street parking.

Real ales.

Limited vegetarian options.

Take-away/delivery service pizzas Tuesday to Saturday evenings

Name believed to come from nearby church.

Our Eating Out is an independent review carried out by the Gazette without prior knowledge of the owners.