HOW MANY times have you gone out to a restaurant with the children and worried that they wouldn't behave? Or that you would have to pay adult prices for them to eat half a carrot and spend the rest of the meal under the table playing with their Lego? Sounds familiar? Then never fear, we think we may have found the perfect place for you.

The Hook and Glove in Farley, east of Salisbury, has recently been taken over by motor bike loving John Tucker and Coral Taylor. With five children and eight grandchildren between them, they know a thing or two about keeping little children happy.

John spent 27 years running messes in the army, so things are, as you’d imagine, well run but softened by the friendly charm of Coral, who admits she has no cooking qualifications other than being 'a mum'.

The pub itself is set in the heart of the countryside and gave our satellite navigation system quite a run for its money, so if it's out of the way' you are looking for, this is it. Charmingly, the couple also run the village shop that is attached to the pub. Coral says: "We do have set opening hours - if the pub is open, so is the shop." It is not unheard of for someone to order half a pint and a tin of custard at the bar.

Playing outside in a marquee, hired especially for the day, were two local Pétanque teams. Pétanque more commonly known as boules, is played outside on two purpose built playing fields and the pub boasts two teams. Many of the locals eating and drinking in the bar were seen making their way through the pub to throw a few bottles with Coral and her kitchen helper. Bridget, off to have their go once the washing up was done.

After settling down, we decided to have a spot of Sunday lunch, which is in the form of a buffet ...you can eat as much as you like of the three meats and up to eight vegetables on offer, and here's the best bit, under fives eat free. If the kids don't want the roast lunch, Coral makes great old favourites for them, like beans on toast .

Also making a surprise appearance on the menu is the Hook baby salad, which consists of chunks of crispy lettuce, cherry tomatoes cucumber and grated cheese. The vegetarian mother of three. having lunch with her family at the table next to us, confirmed that it is very rare to find salad on a children's menu. The ubiquitous nuggets and chips are there, but so are scrambled eggs on toast, so there is plenty of choice for young diners.

Coral explained: ^"We are not a restaurant, we are a pub that does food", which is reflected in their simple and wonderfully old fashioned menu. If you pop into the bar and feel peckish. Coral is also happy to rustle you up egg and chips, or a delicious burger served with relish, onion, lettuce. cheese and tomato in a toasted bun.

So, how was the Sunday lunch? Plentiful and just like mamma used to make it. The hot plate was fairly groaning with food when we arrived at 1.15pm, hoping we hadn't missed the best bits. Au contraire. We were a little too early to indulge in the roasted Mediterranean vegetables or mushroom roast that were provided for the vegetarian family who arrived late (they walked to the pub, got soaked on the way and had to go home for dry clothes).

My children devoured the dishes full of roast parsnips, leeks in cheese sauce, mashed Swede, roast potatoes and carrots. In the meat department were roast beef, pork, chicken and lashings of hot gravy. There was a veritable Mountain of Yorkshire puddings which Coral later took from table to table, offering more.

Pudding for me was homemade tart. with the extra addition of an iced top, "Because it's my son's favourite and I was expecting him for lunch," said Coral. I could have had the apple and blackberry pie made with apples from the garden trees.

Sunday lunch is very popular, so do make sure you ring and reserve a table in advance. If you can't get in for lunch, why not try curry night on a Wednesday, run along similar lines and prices as Sunday lunch? I'm sure it will satisfy even the largest appetite.

Although not a beer drinker myself, my husband, who has more than a passing acquaintance with the brown stuff, said that the real ales, which include Hop Back and Ringwood, were superb.

The Hook and Glove will never win awards for its menu, it wouldn’t want to. But it scores way above the smartest of establishments around in friendliness and thoughtfulness. Where else does the landlady provide melamine plates, child sized knives^, and forks and charge only 25p for a glass of squash for the children?

Where else does the landlady wander around the tables chatting to guests, checking the levels of dishes and generally showing her face? Where else will the landlady rustle up a bar meal even if the kitchen is officially closed? No where.

John and Coral are new to Farley but hope to make The Hook and Glove into a warm, welcoming pub that all the village will come to – if there's any room at the bar, that is, because if you know what's good for you, you'll be jumping into your cars to visit these lovely people pretty sharpish. After all, where else are you going to get a tin of custard at 10.30 at night?

• The Hook & Glove, The Street Farley, Salisbury, Wiltshire, SPS lAA, Tel: 01722 712247

• Pub Opening Hours: Monday-Saturday 11.30-2.30, 6.30-1.30, Sunday 12-3, 7-10.30.

WILTSHIRE LIFE

December 2004

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