Madge Bright and Colin Merritt

Home towns?
Madge: "Auckland." Colin: "London."
How did you meet?
A funny story - 4½ years ago, at Colin's 40th birthday party in Auckland, a bunch of girls wrote their phone numbers on his wall for a laugh and, after consultation with a dating guru who advised which one to call, Colin rang up Madge. BUT that's not all because 8 years previous, a lone cyclist stopped to observe a couple of chicks learning to ride a motorbike in a Kingsland carpark (complete with coke bottle slalom and all) and that cyclist was Colin and one of those chicks was Madge. Awww, talk about fate!
How did you end up in Christchurch?
"We bought a jeep and had a 2½ week road trip around the Mainland. Compared to the big, daily commute in Auckland, the South Island looked virtually empty of traffic - a paradise! We also brought Madge's mum down with us and she's now loving living in Sumner."
What jobs of work do you do?
Madge: "I'm a marketing manager at the Christchurch Casino."
Colin: "I work for Otis Lifts as a service account rep".
What hobbies do you enjoy?
"Darts - Madge is really the only competitive woman player at Pom's, sea kayaking, fishing, and we both drive Vespas (Colin has a 250cc and Madge's is 50cc - all retro and chrome). We enjoy doing lots of things together."
Tell us about your recent trip to the States.
"In 1987 Madge was an AFS student to Gilroy, California - 'the Garlic Capital of the World'. We went to visit her host family and attend a swanky cocktail party for a 40th birthday. People came from all over! We travelled to the Napa Valley (small wineries good, big ones avoid; the Zinfandel is fantastic!), Yosemite and San Francisco."
What's happening over summer?
"We're hosting the American host family and the first thing we'll do is bring them to Pomeroy's!"
Favourite beverages?
Madge: "Since my trip to the States - margaritas."
Colin: "I'll try all the new beers. I'm currently enjoying the Pomeroy's Pale Ale."
What do you like about Pomeroy's?
"It's our local - there's something for everyone. Steve really makes the place and we really missed him when he was on the Coast. The best thing about Pom's is that you feel like you belong, like a stakeholder, like 'you have skin in the game'."
Colin and Madge are a couple of locals who certainly add to the colour and conviviality that make Pomeroy's such a great place.