When an old university friend mentioned he’d be passing through Wiltshire a few Sundays ago I seized the opportunity to take him out for dinner and a long overdue catch-up.

Having heard good things since it reopened a few weeks ago, we made a bee-line for The Boathouse at around 3pm, and were soon seated overlooking Bradford on Avon’s picturesque marina.

The nautical theme has been continued inside, with the revamped restaurant painted a soft blue, making it far more open and welcoming than its previous incarnation, as the Beef and Barge.

After a short wait at the bar we ordered two pints of local ale, and were told the kitchen was all out of roast pork and beef.

While we had come in late in the afternoon, after any lunchtime rush had likely died down, it was disappointing to hear roasts were completely off the menu, given that had been the main reason for our visit.

Undeterred, I ordered a spatchcock chicken in a rich Mediterranean sauce with new potatoes, while Liam opted for the bream, which the menu informed us was delivered fresh from a fishery in Poole.

Our food arrived after another short wait, and we eagerly tucked in. My chicken was excellent, with a generous portion, although it proved hard to strip all the meat from the bones with the cutlery provided.

While I’m not a great fan of fish, Liam was also full of praise for his meal, which came served with a selection of fresh vegetables. The restaurant was far from busy, and there was nothing to suggest it was particularly short-staffed, with several waiters milling around during our meal, but we again had to wait for our plates to be cleared, and then for the requested dessert menus to arrive, before tucking into our chocolate brownie and cherry bakewell.

While the food we had was highly enjoyable, I was disappointed to have missed out on a roast dinner.

The Boathouse is an excellent venue in a prime location, but given our experience of lack of choice and delays for service I’d suggest arriving early on a Sunday if you want to make the most of the experience.

The bill for two meals, desserts and drinks came to £42.

* 10am to 10pm every day
* Outdoor seating
* Children’s play area
* Car park at front