I used wall filler to cover the holes, then sanded the wall filler back down to the wood, giving a smooth surface but now no holes.
We are now ready to paint. I've selected grey and white then finished off with dark wax. I wanted the nest of tables to have an aged look.
A nice tip for you using dark wax for the first time, wax furniture with clear wax then apply a small amount of dark wax on a clean brush and gently stroke over the areas you want darker. Rub the dark wax off with a cloth and repeat where necessary. If you've put too much on use the clear wax, it works as an eraser!