The Merchant is a lively Irish bar on Eastborough in Scarborough, a multi-levelled single-room pub with an upstairs function room close to the South beach. It's the home of Scarborough Folk Club and hosts a regular Thursday open-mic night, drawing a diverse range of local singers and musicians. Live music runs throughout the week alongside a celebrated whisky and Guinness selection.
Scarborough · Every Thursday · No fee listed
The Merchant Open Mic
Scarborough's Thursday-night free open mic at 27-29 Eastborough.
Next night: Thu 19 Nov. Kick-off 20:30, sign-up from 20:00. 12-minute slots. No fee listed.
Nearby open micsUpdated 13 November 2026
At a glance
Checked 5 Oct 202620:30
Kick-off
Thursdays
sign-up from 20:00Thursdays
| Night | Every Thursday |
| Sign-up | 20:00 walk-in |
| Slot | 12 min |
| Entry | No fee listed · 18+ |
| Backline | PA provided |
01 — Inside the room
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0 members voted to bring the venue onto GigXchange02 — The details
Before you goEverything you need to know
0
Member votes
votes to get this venue on GigXchange
| Capacity | c. 80 standing |
| Performer types | Musicians |
The check
| Status | Verified running |
| Last checked | 5 Oct 2026 |
| Checked against | Web listing |
03 — The night
Every ThursdayHow the night runs
20:30
Kick-off
ThursdaysRunning order
20:00 Sign-up· Walk-in
20:30 Kick-off· 12-minute slots
23:30 Last songs
00:00 Venue closes
04 — Find The Merchant
Town CentreGetting there
27-29 Eastborough,
Town Centre, Scarborough YO11 1NG
Town Centre, Scarborough YO11 1NG
The nearest station is Scarborough (rail station), about 15 minutes' walk away.
05 — What's on stage
2 provided| PA system | Provided |
| Drum kit | Bring your own |
| Guitar amp | Bring your own |
| Bass amp | Bring your own |
| Keys / keyboard | Bring your own |
| 2 vocal mics | Provided |
| In-house engineer | None |
06 — About
Town Centre, ScarboroughAbout the night
The Merchant is an Irish bar in Scarborough's old town. Open mic night runs regularly.
Sign-up process
Walk-in from 8pm.
Getting there
27-29 Eastborough, YO11 1NG. 10 minutes from Scarborough Rail.
The venue
18+. Capacity c. 80.
The Merchant is a lively Irish bar on Eastborough in Scarborough, a multi-levelled single-room pub with an upstairs function room close to the South beach. It's the home of Scarborough Folk Club and hosts a regular Thursday open-mic night, drawing a diverse range of local singers and musicians. Live music runs throughout the week alongside a celebrated whisky and Guinness selection.
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Town Centre · Every Thursday
The Merchant Open Mic
Scarborough's Thursday-night free open mic at 27-29 Eastborough.
- Thursday
- Open mic night
- May 2026
- Listed since
- 5 Oct
- Last verified
- No fee
- Entry
- 12 min
- Slot length
- Verified
- Listing status
Run a Scarborough open mic? List it free — reviewed before it goes live
Last updated: 13 November 2026
The Merchant Open Mic — Quick Facts
The Merchant Open Mic runs on Thursdays at The Merchant in Scarborough, starting at 20:30 with sign-up from 20:00. Scarborough's Thursday-night free open mic at 27-29 Eastborough. Below: when it runs, sign-up and slots, the stage kit and how to get there.
Open mic status Last verified 5 Oct 2026
How sure we are
Verified active
Checked against the venue’s own listing See The Merchant’s venue page →
The night Every Thursday
Music starts around 20:30, finishing about 23:30. It's walk-in sign-up, with the list opening at 20:00 - arrive early to get a slot. Each act gets about 12 minutes, so the night holds around 15 acts. There is a PA listed - ask what else is on stage before you load in.
Next nightThu 19 Nov · 20:30Starts in 6d 12h 51m
Age18+
Sign-upWalk-in on the night
Capacityc. 80 standing
BacklinePA provided
Sound engineerNone in-house
Directory statusVerified active
Member votes0 to get the venue on GigXchange
How do you rate this open mic?One tap, no sign-up required.
Spotted something wrong with this listing?Closed, moved night, different start time? Let us know. We review corrections within 7 days.
NightThursdayEvery ThursdayNext: Thu 19 Nov
Starts20:30until 23:30
Sign-up20:00Walk-in
Slots12minutes eachRoom for about 15 acts
What’s on in Scarborough this week — or see what’s on across the UK.
About This Open Mic
The Merchant is an Irish bar in Scarborough's old town. Open mic night runs regularly.
Sign-up process
Walk-in from 8pm.
Getting there
27-29 Eastborough, YO11 1NG. 10 minutes from Scarborough Rail.
The venue
18+. Capacity c. 80.
Equipment and backline at this venue — what's on stage, verified regularly.
PA systemProvided
Drum kitBring your own
Guitar ampBring your own
Bass ampBring your own
Keys / keyboardBring your own
2 vocal micsProvided
In-house engineerNone
The Night at a Glance
How The Merchant’s Thursday night runs.
Next nightThu 19 Nov · 20:30Starts in 6d 12h 51m
Sign-up opens20:00Walk-in on the night
Kick-off20:30Every Thursday
Music ends23:30Last act finishes
Venue closes00:00The listed closing time
Slots12minutes eachroom for about 15 acts
How often
Every Thursday
Coming up
Thu 19 Nov · Thu 26 Nov · Thu 3 Dec
Kit
The Merchant provides a PA system and 2 vocal mics; bring your own drum kit, guitar amp, bass amp and keys; no in-house sound engineer.
First time here?
Get there by 20:00 for a slot, have your instrument tuned before your turn and keep to about 12 minutes.
Find The Merchant
27-29 Eastborough, Town Centre, Scarborough YO11 1NG
Address27-29 Eastborough
AreaTown Centre, Scarborough
PostcodeYO11 1NG
DirectionsOpen in Google Maps →
Getting there
The nearest station is Scarborough (rail station), about 15 minutes' walk away. You'll find The Merchant in Town Centre, Scarborough; YO11 1NG is the postcode for sat-nav and ride apps. Check the venue's website for parking and the nearest station.
Open mics nearby
Whitby Pavilion (Musicport Open Mic), The Little Angel, Chaplins Bar and The Fleece
Station data: NaPTAN, Department for Transport (Open Government Licence).
Planning Your Thursday Night
Arrive by 20:00 to sign up for a slot. The open mic runs until about 23:30. The Merchant provides a PA system and 2 vocal mics; bring your own drum kit, guitar amp, bass amp and keys; no in-house sound engineer.
The scene Live music in Scarboroughthe venues, the gigs and where it happensGet gigs How to get gigs in Scarboroughpay, venues that book, how to pitchBands Find a band in Scarboroughacts to book or play alongsideGigs Upcoming gigs in Scarboroughevery listing, sorted by dateArtists Browse artist profilesfind acts to play or collaborate withOpen mics UK Open Mic Finderfree stage time, night by night
How much should paid gigs pay you? Most open mic musicians are ready sooner than they think — try the Rate Calculator for live UK rates by role, city and venue size. Part of the Scarborough live music scene.
Common Questions
9 things people ask before turning up at Scarborough's The Merchant open mic.
Walk-in sign-up only, opens at 20:00. Arrive early — slots fill on the night. See other Scarborough open mic nights for alternatives.
The Merchant provides a PA system and 2 vocal mics; bring your own drum kit, guitar amp, bass amp and keys; no in-house sound engineer.
12 minutes per act — typically 3 songs solo.
No entry fee is listed for The Merchant's open mic - most open mics are free to play and to watch, but check with the venue before you go. Browse Scarborough open mics.
Ask the host before bringing a full band — solo and duo acts are the usual open-mic format.
27-29 Eastborough, Town Centre, Scarborough YO11 1NG.
Mostly fellow musicians, friends and Scarborough regulars across the Scarborough open mic scene. Scarborough open mic crowds tend to listen attentively.
The nearest station is Scarborough (rail station), about 15 minutes' walk away. For sat-nav and taxis, the postcode is YO11 1NG. (Station data: NaPTAN, Department for Transport, Open Government Licence.)
Sign-up is walk-in on the night, from 20:00, so you do not need to book ahead. GigXchange doesn't publish venue phone numbers or emails. Browse other Scarborough open mics.
Venues Near The Merchant
No other gigs are listed at The Merchant in the GigXchange directory yet — these are the rooms around it, their size, kit and live nights.
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See what’s on in Scarborough over the next four weeks →
The Merchant open mic in brief. The Merchant open mic runs every Thursday from 20:30 (no fee listed); sign-up opens 20:00 and slots run about 12 minutes. Coming back with a full band? The Merchant’s venue page has its kit and capacity listed. For a different night this week, the open mics near Scarborough are listed by day.
Booking or playing in Scarborough? The GX Index publishes what UK gigs actually pay, by city, band size and venue type, and the GX Index reports set out the methodology and the sample behind every figure. Both are free to read and free to cite.
Keep exploring: the UK gig directory for what's coming up, the venue directory for rooms that book live music, the open mic finder for recurring stage time, and what's on across the UK this week. The blog covers pricing, contracts and getting booked, and about GigXchange explains who runs it and why. Something not right on this page? Tell us — or start on the home page.
09 — More Scarborough open mics
All ›Want paid gigs instead of open mics? See Scarborough gigs or check the going rate.
10 — Venues near The Merchant
All ›More rooms near The Merchant: Harbour Tavern, Indigo Alley, Pickering Book Tree, Scarborough Spa, The Crescent Lounge, The Fleece, The Granby, The Little Angel, The Whitby Way, Valley Bar and Whitby Pavilion.
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