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The \u2018modern facelift\u2019 hasn\u2019t necessarily been a great thing for RSLs. Picture: Damian Shaw<\/p>\n
OPINION<\/p>\n
RSLs have been an iconic part of Australian communities and our national identity, since being established in 1916 to provide support for those returning from serving during World War I.<\/p>\n
They\u2019ve been a place where members could get access to inexpensive meals and drinks, while being part of a community.<\/p>\n
But somehow, in more recent years, that aspect has completely disappeared.<\/p>\n
We now find ourselves in a soulless barn, which has usually had a \u2018modern facelift\u2019, paying Merivale prices for food and beverage, without the Merivale food or service quality.<\/p>\n
Go back 10 years and my local RSL was a shabby building in a pristine location. You could get a roast of the day for $10 or so, and a cheap beer, while enjoying glimpses of the ocean over the road.<\/p>\n
MORE:Ooshies selling for same amount as a home<\/a><\/p>\n The works in progress. Picture Colin Gibson<\/p>\n The layout wasn\u2019t amazing, but it\u2019s what you would expect from an RSL. <\/p>\n Then came word the RSL would be undergoing a major redevelopment. It was closed briefly, then reopened in a limited capacity while building works were going on.<\/p>\n The first warning sign came then, when my wife and I had dinner there. They were operating a temporary kitchen and bar. My wife chose a pumpkin and fetta salad. <\/p>\n What came out was an entree sized bowl of kale, with two small cubes of pumpkin and one cube of fetta. The price? $16.<\/p>\n That would be bad enough today, but back in 2016, it was unheard of. All around us, diners young and old were taking meals back to the counter in disbelief. There must be a mistake here?<\/p>\n MORE: Where home prices have crashed 40pc<\/a><\/p>\n But the staff blindly stuck to the pre-programmed price buttons on the register. We swore not to eat there again.<\/p>\n Two years later, the finished venue opened. It was a behemoth of a building, with retirement living built on top, a fitness and aquatic centre, various shops and an attached childcare centre. The food and beverage level was massive, with a beer garden and multiple specialty restaurants included within.<\/p>\n This temporary food outlet replaced the one that charged big bucks for a bowl of kale.<\/p>\n And of course, on the other side of a wall and a couple of automatic doors, the hypnotic sounds of hundreds of poker machines in action in the \u2018VIP\u2019 room.<\/p>\n We steered clear at first, but our children attended that childcare, and began swimming lessons at the aquatic centre. Before we knew it, we were regular attendees at the club for the odd weeknight dinners and weekend brunches.<\/p>\n The prices were as high as any pub or cafe nearby. The staff were young, dismissive, disengaged and wandering around like they were in a slow motion dream. Orders were constantly messed up and it wasn\u2019t uncommon to see more bartenders behind the bar than customers in the queue, yet it somehow took forever to get a drink. And you almost felt apologetic, like you were interrupting them to order something.<\/p>\n MORE:Aussies put on notice for \u2018inappropriate\u2019 WFH act<\/a><\/p>\n Every time we ate there, we were sent a survey about the experience. I answered these truthfully at first, but then stopped bothering because nothing ever changed. And in the last few years, as inflation took hold, it only got worse.<\/p>\n Now, I\u2019m in there paying $30 plus for a basic member-priced meal. Shabby little kids\u2019 meals like nuggets and chips are $15 for members.<\/p>\n And the service remains horrendous. Staff are rude, you\u2019re encouraged to pay by QR code on the table and then they get it wrong anyway. Vacated tables remain dirty, mess is on the floor and there\u2019s not enough cutlery or napkins at their stations. <\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/capi_5704ff107871a5fd4bd0481d14722bde_e693c111763d8f0faa65140ea0b35388.jpeg\")
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