The ‘modern facelift’ hasn’t necessarily been a great thing for RSLs. Picture: Damian Shaw
OPINION
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.
They’ve been a place where members could get access to inexpensive meals and drinks, while being part of a community.
But somehow, in more recent years, that aspect has completely disappeared.
We now find ourselves in a soulless barn, which has usually had a ‘modern facelift’, paying Merivale prices for food and beverage, without the Merivale food or service quality.
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.
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The works in progress. Picture Colin Gibson
The layout wasn’t amazing, but it’s what you would expect from an RSL.
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.
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.
What came out was an entree sized bowl of kale, with two small cubes of pumpkin and one cube of fetta. The price? $16.
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?
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But the staff blindly stuck to the pre-programmed price buttons on the register. We swore not to eat there again.
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.
This temporary food outlet replaced the one that charged big bucks for a bowl of kale.
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 ‘VIP’ room.
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.
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’t 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.
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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.
Now, I’m in there paying $30 plus for a basic member-priced meal. Shabby little kids’ meals like nuggets and chips are $15 for members.
And the service remains horrendous. Staff are rude, you’re 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’s not enough cutlery or napkins at their stations.
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Justin Hemmes took over Club Rose Bay. Picture: Jonathan Ng
If I went to a pub near where I work however, I could get a steak and veggies or a schnitzel for $15, a happy hour beer for at least $3 cheaper than the RSL and be treated well by friendly, experienced, capable staff who know the value of good customer service.
It’s no wonder so many RSL sub branches are no longer a part of their clubs. You’d have to ask the question, is there any point in RSLs anymore?
The valuable community work that RSLs have always done could continue being undertaken by sub branches, while the clubs themselves could just become ‘VIP’ warehouses full of poker machines somewhere.
Justin Hemmes already took over Club Rose Bay. Why not let him take over the rest, or at least the existing food and beverage venues. The prices wouldn’t change, but you could eat at a clean table and be served with a smile.