I have to admit that the Merton was nicer than I'd anticipated.
Despite its seemingly unfortunate location on Victoria Rd, the front dive bar was reasonably busy (although not a scratch on Ruby's, two doors up). A couple of guys on guitars and vocals were crooning by the door, surrounded by the Merton's usual suspects, and a couple of ladies sat talking over glasses of wine in the lounge. Whilst the restaurant was empty (it was around 10pm by this point) it looked nice enough - basic, reminiscent of a miniature Yamba Golf Club, and the menu is decent and inexpensive.
The beer garden out the back is probably the nicest place in the pub. Resembling a resort pool-side deck, complete with white umbrellas, this section also hosts a pool table - a welcome addition. It's a pretty relaxed area that catches the sun during the day and is lit a little more intimately at night, making for a decent and quite place to meet up. The room itself is actually quite cosy, but with a large mirror taking up the far wall it looks far bigger than it actually is.
The real hook here is that the beers and ciders are pretty cheap. And that's what matters, right? read more