YOU'LL receive a warm welcome at the Hermitage Inn.

I know because it says so on notices all round the pub – even the napkins are printed with the message: "Liz and Steve welcome you to…"

And it's true there is a warm welcome waiting as soon as you set foot inside. In fact, before you cross the threshold, the building has a certain appeal, with planters and a charming façade – you're drawn in.

It's an archetypal traditional pub, with whitewashed walls and dark beams, mock-glowing fire, part carpeted and part wooden floorboards, local pictures and paintings adorning every available space.

The Hermitage is a lively, roomy and comfortable pub with a classic, central bar that draws you into its bosom.

Many of the tables were set for diners, with table cloths, cutlery, napkins, artificial flowers in small vases and condiments.

The smiling staff and their obvious warmth made us want to enjoy the meals even before we'd opened the menus.

While we were perusing, we ordered drinks – a pint of Sneck Lifter, a strong, dark ale from the Jennings stable, for me, a Guinness for my wife and a J2O soft drink for my daughter.

The menu offered a good range of food, from standard pub grub to considerably more expensive á la carte selections.

The bar meals looked familiar – steak and mushroom pie (£6.95), 8oz gammon steak (£8.45), half a roast chicken (£7.45), home-made lasagne (£6.95), fish of the day (£7.45), 8oz sirloin steak (£9.95), whole-tail scampi (£7.95) and liver and onions (£6.95) among others and including a very exciting specials board that boasted Northumberland rabbit pie (£6.95).

The á la carte choices were equally tempting, with an extensive steak menu to satisfy the most ravenous carnivore, most around the £15 mark, with T-bone surf and turf the most extravagant at £17.95.

Grilled sea bass (£14.25) and king prawns served on a bed of rice with a garlic butter (£15.75) completed the fish menu, while lamb Jennings (£12.45), half a roast duck served with an orange sauce (£13.95) and chicken breast in a creamy mushroom and garlic sauce (£10.95) made up the lamb and poultry section.

Vegetarians were not forgotten, with half-a-dozen choices including vegetable stir fry (£5.75) and vegetable curry (£5.75) – not the most imaginative in the world.

So does the food live up to this impressive billing?

We had remembered to pack our appetites with us on the trip to Warkworth, so decided to go for starters. The vegetarian option, asparagus wrapped in an omelette and smothered in a three cheese sauce (£4.25) proved too much of a lure for me.

It provided a palatable combination of flavours, despite the asparagus not being the freshest and somewhat soggy.

My wife chose the wild boar pate with Black Seal rum and ginger salad garnish and a plum sauce (£4.45) declaring it a success and delighting in sharing it with us!

Somehow our eight-ear-old daughter chose the most expensive starter out of the three of us! She was served a prawn salad (£5.45) with the staff more than happy to accomodate her whim of having the Marie Rose sauce served separately. Her prawns were warm and some were still part-shelled, but that did not deter her nor affect her enjoyment.

The main cuorses took an unexpected turn! Despite the presence of lasagne, my wife was tempted by the leek suet pud (£8.95) from the vibrant specials board ("just for a change").

She was not disappointed - the pudding made almost sweet by the leeks and the filling of caramelised onion and mushrooms, made her taste buds dance. Her vegetables were nicely cooked.

I went for another 'special' - fish pie (£8.95). In my first mouthful, after delving through the upper layer of melted cheese and mashed potato, I cuaght a prawn and, in the second, a piece of salmon. This was no ordinary one-fish concoction, a good deal of thought had gone into the preparation.

A creamy, parsley sauce held the fish together and gave it a dynamic flavour. My only disappointment was having to pick out several bones. The accompanying home-made chips were splendidly chunky, crisp on the outside coating a soft interior.

Both of my salads (for starters and main course) were fresh, crunchy and simple.

Our daughter decided she'd done her bit for her healthy diet with the starter and chose fish fingers, smiley faces and peas (£3.74) from the children's menu (alternatives included home-made burgers or chicken nuggets).

We were all pretty much full to the gunnels and we could only manage a child's novelty ice cream (£2.50) between us! NOt even the likes of sticky tofee pudding, chocolate fusge cake and syrup sponge could persuade us to ditch our new year diets.

And so it was that we came to the end of another decent meal, not outstanding but worth another visit. It had been good, but the friendliness of the Hermitage was our abiding memory.

Our bill came to £49.05, which included drinks (a second Guiness and J2O to boot).

Customers are warned to allow 30 minutes for meals as they are cooked ot order. I approve of notices like this and do not moind the wait if it means your food is going to be fresh.

Food is served Monday to Saturday from 2pm and 5.30pm to 9pm; and Sunday from noon to 2pm and 5.30pm to 7pm. A carvery is available on Friday and Saturday nights and Sunday lunchtimes at £6.95 each, although booking is essential.

STAR RATINGS (out of five)
Quality of food 3.5
Choice 4
Vegetarian choice 3.5
Value for money 4
Atmosphere 4.5
Service 4.5
Children catered for 4
Disabled access 3
(portable ramp to negate front step)
Disabled toilet No
Overall experience 4
Verdict: The warmest of welcomes and a decent meal.

Contact details: Hermitage Inn, 23 Castle Street, Warkworth, Northumberland NE65 0UL. Tel: 01665 711258; website: http://hermitageinn.co.uk