THIS pub is in an excellent spot for meeting friends, family and business colleagues who are travelling to Swindon as it is literally one minute from junction 15 on the M4.

Despite its roadside location it has a warm and friendly atmosphere with a huge inglenook fireplace in the bar and the feel of a cosy country retreat just minutes from Swindon centre.

A blackboard lists specials by the fireside but you can view them on a sheet of paper too along with the a la carte menu.

We booked in advance as it was a Saturday evening and our waitress took us to a table set away from the thoroughfare in the bar in a window recess. We still had a bird's eye view of the hustle and bustle from our raised floor.

There are good choices with plenty of fresh fish dishes, game and vegetarian options. But we four women were all in a carnivorous mood because of the wintry weather outside.

In the end two had rib eye steak at £11.50 each with a stilton sauce, one had a fillet steak at £13.25 while the other went for medallions of pork in a mustard and fresh apricot sauce at £8.95. There was plenty of fresh veg on the side, including broccoli, cauliflower and carrots. We were all amazed at how carroty the carrots were and told the waitress, who thought it was hilarious.

Her service was attentive and fun she kept an eye on us to make sure we didn't need anything even though she was serving tables in the bar and restaurant where a birthday party was in full swing with a large family enjoying a meal.

We felt it was a good place to take children the chef will do smaller versions of adult meals on request.

But its location was a real seller with one friend who needs to meet business colleagues on the road saying it would be a perfect place to meet for a coffee and chat. The pub is open all day.

We didn't try the puddings but there were plenty to choose from, both traditional and modern. Built some time after 1773 and certainly long before 1841, the Plough was once a traditional home-brew pub with a fairly large capacity for beer production.

When the brewing equipment was sold in 1864 it included a copper of 120 gallons.

It features in Alfred Williams' book, Villages of the White Horse and had previously been a centre for rustic sports' including back-swording, wrestling and prize-fighting.

Arkell's leased the pub after that date and finally bought the freehold in 1907, just a year after purchasing the nearby Bakers Arms at Badbury.

The Plough Inn, Marlborough Road, Badbury.

Tel: 01793 740342

Food Monday to Friday 12 3pm and 6 9pm. Saturday 12 9pm, Sunday 12 8pm. No smoking in the restaurant. No children under 14 after 7.30pm.