I would like to open up the following topic for general debate. The aim here is to create a more enjoyable experience for everyone; general members, committee members; guests and particularly guest speakers.
Given the numbers that are now consistently attending the monthly tasting events I believe that we should now have some form of convention that we can all follow where we all get as much as we can from the presentations and the fantastic whiskeys that are on offer.
I have noticed that while in the course of their presentations, speakers usually have to shout over the conversational noise generated from the floor and usually have to rely on the entrpreneurial spirit of some person in the room to almost shatter a glass to restore general quiet and attention. This is hardly an ideal situation and no-one wins if it is allowed to prevail; the speakers efforts in preparing for the talk are wasted and we hear potentially only a fraction of the information available.
Now, before anyone accuses me of supressing free speech - I'm certainly not advocating a situation whereby no-one is allowed to talk from when they enter the tasting room until they leave - I'm just suggesting that we need to do everything we can to ensure a happy medium. That must come both from members showing their respect to whoever is providing the presentation, etc. as well as from the Committee in providing a more formal Convention for those attending re. general chat, questions, etc.
Views, comments, suggestions all welcome!
