Thetownend.com

Does anyone know if its ok to park in Halfords/The Range car park for evening games without being clamped?

Not sure, but in the evening not many of the resident's parking restrictions apply, so if no go in that car park just park on the street fella.

I park around the Merlin on week nights and sundays.  Some areas still have restrictions but i have parked without too much bother..

You know I haven't lived in Swindon for years, and everytime you people have talked about the Merlin, I had a mental picture of a completely different pub. There used to be a little pub on Faringdon road which I had remembered as being The Merlin, but now I think about it was actually The Falcon. I've always thought it was a bit of a long walk from the ground.

The Merlin was obviously something else when I was there, was it the old Morrels pub The Oxford?

I picture it as the Oxford as well Lumps, I may be wrong though

The Merlin is the old Oxford.  Not my cup of tea, but I can see why it's popular with a lot of people on match days.

Use Tesco car park. It's free and only a couple of minutes walk.

Good! The old landlord in the Oxford was a right miserable old cunt. I can remember he had a long running feud with Noel Reilly who was the landlord of The Beehive. For some reason Varsity Bitter was always referred to as "wood" in the Hive, but if any regulars from there ever made the mistake of asking for "a pint of wood" in The Oxford, they'd either get ignored or have to put up with a long rant about how the stuff was called Varsity and was delivered in steel kegs not wooden ones and, if you were unlucky, get told to piss off back to the Beehive where you belonged.

A right fucking charmer.

Wasnt it called something else between The Oxford and The Merlin.....ale and grape or something??

I call it the Merlin after spending time on the TEF but i always refer to calling it the Oxford when my i chat to my old man on the blower.....

The Malt & Hops

I went to the Merlin once after it changed from the Oxford...aint been since,not my cup of tea,always use the County Hotel....if the weathers good i tend to pop into the Swiss Chalet as well ware they show the footy.

a guy at work got a ticket there about a month ago for parking there and walking into town. not sure if it will apply when the stores are all but closed.

I always use Tesco as Sam has suggested

Thanks y'all.
 :thumb:

Selwyn was his name the miserable old fucker

Thats it!!  knew it was something like that!

That's the fellah, face like a slapped arse. I don't think I ever saw him smile.

 The Falcon has at times been a decent boozer....not sure what it's like atm.

 Back I suppose early 80's Don Rogers used to turn out for their Sunday League team, now Don had an artificial hip by then, but he couldn't resist kicking a ball...so he played in the side mainly to take corners, free kicks etc, however I suppose having a legend in your side inspired the lads and they reached some prestigous pub cup final.  Don had to have another hip done, as he shouldn't have played.

More like a slapped wife allegedly.

He got the proper hump after the bogs apparently got turned over before the Chester game (when we clinched promotion from the old Div 4) and wouldn't let anyone in after the game he didn't recognise. Bit peeved about that at the time as me and my mate were turned away and we'd been using the place for the previous two seasons !