THERE are some places that just take you right back to a certain point in your life. Merchants is such a place, although it wasn’t called that back in 1996.

Then it was called Trials, a well-known but seen-better-days bar, part of the hotel with the same name, that at lunch times offered an ever-dwindling bunch of regulars an uninspiring menu of limp sandwiches, chips and baked potatoes.

In the evenings, it felt even more desolate. The local lawyers that had once made up the bulk of its custom had long since moved on to more up-market hostelries.

However, it retained a certain charm. With its marble columns, luxurious, if a little worn, leather couches and huge windows overlooking the Crown Court in Derby Square, there was still a hint of the grandeur of times past.

I loved it.

It was here that I wooed the lady who was to become my long-term partner. We had worked together but sought to keep our relationship secret from our colleagues.

Just after 5pm, I would get up from my desk, put my coat on and give her a knowing look. I would then make my way to Trials and she would follow 10 minutes later.

Some weekday winter evenings, we would have the place to ourselves. The only other regular I recall was

an ageing dandy with a penchant for flowery shirts who drank alone but always seemed to have a smile on his face.

The establishment limped on into the new century, but it was inevitable that Liverpool’s economic renaissance and new-found confidence would catch up with it sooner or later.

In the spring of 2006, a new boutique hotel opened on the site, known as 62 Castle Street, at a cost of £2.5m.

The bar I had known so well was given a makeover and re-christened as Room – an up-market eaterie with prices to match (£1.80 for a diet Coke).

It was clean, smart and stylish. The place had been interior-designed to death.

I hated it.

The food was good quality (although the size of the portions once had me wondering whether there was a war on) and the service friendly but as for the atmosphere – it seemed cold and insipid.

Some of the Grade II-listed Georgian features had been retained but its character had not.

Room was mercifully short-lived and now the venue’s latest incarnation is another posh-nosh eaterie which goes by the name of Merchants.

I was joined there for lunch by Sue Weir, chief executive of Liverpool-based Medicash.

The mutual, which operates out of Lord Street, has been in existence since 1871 under various names including Hospital Saturday and Sunday Funds and the Penny in the Pound Fund.

It offers cash plans to individuals and businesses that allow people to pay small regular premiums and then claim the cost of a trip to the dentist or optician or for stays in hospital and physiotherapy.

“For things you will need on a regular basis,” said Sue.

“It is something we do well because we have been doing it for so long. We have that history behind us.

“Because we have close links with the NHS, we have evolved as they have evolved. If they change their tariffs, then we have to adapt to that.”

Sue joined Medicash as finance director in 2004, moving from a similar role at Merseyside Special Investment Fund. She took the top job last year.

Her approach has been to make the mutual more dynamic and innovative while retaining the link with its traditional roots.

She added: “Recently we have brought in something called Best Doctors, which means that if you have had a diagnosis on a particular condition you can get an expert second opinion through your health plan. We also want to extend the services we provide to businesses and to help them look after the health of their staff.

“One thing we are looking to launch is something that would sit alongside private medical insurance (PMI).

“Under PMI, you often have to pay for the first £50 of treatment.

“Through our plan, we would pay that excess fee.”

Sue said Medicash had not been too adversely affected by the recession.

She added: “In some cases we have benefited, as some firms are offering staff Medicash benefits instead of an annual pay rise.

“However, there are some that have said to us ‘yes, we love the idea of what you can provide but not just now’.”

Sue is particularly proud of the charitable side of the business. Since 1871, it is estimated the organisation’s charity efforts and contributions have been worth more than £70m to good causes and she is keen for that to continue through its charitable trusts.

“We want to retain the caring side of the business but at the same time we have to continue to modernise. People can be wary of change but now we find our staff have wholly embraced it.”

Maybe it was the return of some leather upholstery just to the side of the main dining area, but I felt a little of the old warmth of 14 years previous.

Sue ordered her food from the extensive a la carte menu, while I decided to try the special lunch menu which offers two courses for £8.95. I plumped for the Merchants Caesar salad, a tasty offering with a generous serving of chicken. Sue enjoyed her pea and mint soup, but didn’t finish.

“I always like to leave enough room for the main course,” she said.

For my main, I ordered the 8oz onglet steak. This is a steak, so Wikipedia tells me, that is cut from the centre of the diaphragm and is “flavourful and very tender”.

The menu recommended that it was best served rare. Now I like a rare steak but it has to be done properly, a feat seemingly beyond the capabilities of many restaurants.

I usually play safe, ask for a well done steak and cover it in pepper. This time I went with the recommendation and ordered rare. My daring was well rewarded. It was tender, juicy and delicious. Although I did spend about five minutes trying to saw my way through one gristly section.

It came accompanied by some of the chunkiest chips I have ever seen.

Sue ordered the pan-fried sea bass for her main.

I recently ordered this dish at another very swish Liverpool restaurant which shall remain nameless. The fish was so salty I had to ask the waitress for a bucket of water to drink afterwards. Fortunately, Sue was more than happy with her serving.

“It was absolutely gorgeous,” she said after clearing her plate.

The bill, including drinks, came to a modest £34.65. The two courses for £8.95 deal I thought to be especially good value.

We passed on dessert.

Service was friendly and efficient and without any of the intrusive fawning (Is everything all right with your meal, sir?) you get in some other establishments.

I have to concede that the Trials I once knew has disappeared for ever, but the operators of Merchants have made a decent stab at creating a venue with some of the warmth and charm of the old place.

I may just go back again.