The future of SOBA in Auckland

[Martin Bridges]

I've been acting as the Auckland regional coordinator for SOBA for about 2 years now and in that time the membership has grown quite significantly, but the attendance at monthly meetings has (at best) stayed roughly the same. On several occasions I've sought your views on meeting venues, dates/times of meetings etc. but never had much feedback. It's disheartening to organise these events and get poor attendance.

Recently I came to the view that perhaps part of the problem was that we lacked focus, so I've suggested that we choose an issue to get behind for the next year. The chosen issue is that of getting more establishments in Auckland to stock craft beer, and the plan was to kick this off at next Saturday's meeting at Galbraith's Alehouse (Sat 13th March @ 2pm). So far, despite publicising this meeting on this mailing list, on the SOBA website, on the RealBeerNZ forum & on Facebook, I have had only 3 confirmed attendees respond to me.

So, perhaps I've reached the end of the road. Maybe people are voting with their feet and telling me that they don't want this kind of meeting and organization. If so, that's fine. I can step back and let someone else come forward and organise members how they think fit. I don't want to do this, because I think that SOBA in Auckland can be a powerful force for craft beer. I find it embarrassing that all the big craft beer events happen in Wellington or Nelson but we CAN do something about this. It does, however, need people to put some effort in. As with most things in life, you get out what you put in.

Galbraith's Alehouse this Saturday will therefore be my Last Chance Saloon. If we get a good turnout of SOBA members who are keen to do something about improving the availability of craft beer in Auckland then I'll keep going. If not, then I'll step aside and leave someone else to organise meetings going forward (or not, if that's what people want).

Let me know if you're planning to come along on Saturday so I can reserve an area.

Cheers & beers,

Martin

[Reviled]

Mate??? That is a very sad read buddy, as I for one think that the time, effort and work that you put in for SOBA is legendary!! I definately appreciate it and am sure that everyone else does as well!! I think SOBA would be worse off if you were to hang up your hat so to speak, if you ever need a hand with anything like organising or what not just let me know im allways happy to help :o)

I wouldnt say that you allways get poor attendance? Ive been to many a SOBA event that youve organised that had great turn outs and were definately the highlight of my beer related events for the last year mate! Maybe theres other factors at play like everyone being busy with their non-beer related lives - I know im guilty of this myself lately and wish this wasnt the case - I plan to put in alot more effort once I get re-inspired in California!!

So what do we need to do to keep you happy? More attendance? More helping out?? Let us know mate!!

And yes, I will be there on saturday and will try and come up with some constructive ideas to contribute :o)

[Greig McGill]

Joined yet, Tyler? ;)

[Reviled]

"Joined yet, Tyler? ;)"

I thought I had, but when we were moving house and I was going through my beer records I found my SOBA application form that has been all filled out... Should really get onto that, but been so busy, not a good enough excuse I know ;o( Sorry...

[Greig McGill]

It's OK mate, I was just being cheeky! ;)

[Martin Bridges]

Thanks man, I appreciate the nice words.

I haven't kept detailed records but over the last year it has been really hard to get people to commit to meetings, and to attend. There are 31 members on the Auckland mailing list, plus we often get people coming up from Hamilton. I'd therefore hope for more than the 10 or so that we usually get (and often we get less).

I want SOBA in Auckland to achieve stuff and to do so requires a regular meeting with a good core of people attending. If we can't get that, then there's no point me carrying on.

I don't want to give up, don't get me wrong, but if I can't get at least a dozen people to a meeting at one of Auckland's best beer locations to discuss big plans for SOBA, then there's no point me doing it.

[Barry]

I'd like to second Tylers thanks and appreciation for your fine organisational efforts over the last 2 years Martin. You've been a powerhouse.
We've discussed this before, but I don't think poor turnouts are any relection of your lack of organisation. You've done a bloody fantastic job.

I think it's indicative of why it's so tough for Auckland to get any traction for - it's such a fragmented place. Socially, economically, every other way possible.
It's so diverse, so big, so "trendy", so bloody fickle.

Keep soldiering on mate and don't take it too personally. It's in no way your fault. If you were to hand over to anyone else they'd get the same result at best, more likely far worse.

Despite not being a member any more I'll do my best to attend, hopefully with some bright ideas.

[Reviled]

Perhaps if we moved the meeting from monthly to 2 or 3 monthly? That way there would be no chance id miss out on any meetings, even if I was moving house as seen with the WBC, sometimes with family committments and life in general once a month can sometimes be a bit hard to committ to?

[Martin Bridges]

I don't expect everyone to be able to make it to every meeting - heck, if I wasn't organising I probably wouldn't make it to all of them either! However, with a pool of members the size it is, plus the Hamiltonians not far down the road, I'd hope for something a little higher than what we've been getting.

It all depends what we're trying to achieve. If all people want to do is get together for a beer or to visit the occasional brewery, they don't really need me to be organising that. However, if we want to actually make a difference to craft beer in Auckland, we probably need a few more people getting together more frequently than every 2-3 months.

Please don't take this the wrong way (everybody) - I'm not having a go at anyone. I'm just trying to point out that if we want to be an active group, we need to act like one. If people are happy to just meet up socially every now and again in an unstructured way, that's also fine and it doesn't need me to do the organising.

I would prefer us to be an active group, I'm just trying to understand what everyone else wants.

[Reviled]

I hear what youre saying and agree! I would like to be part of a more active group! What do you want me/us to do to get the word out? Go and flyer all the bars in Auckland? Use my salesman skills to convince more bar owners to get some good beer in the fridge?? Start a mass anti Heineken marketting campaign? ;o) lol

I guess ive never really thought about it before, which is why ive never really been that active myself, so good on you for bringing this up Martin :o)

Can we make a change? I reckon we can if we all put in some effort! I think that there has definately been a difference, albeit small, in the craft beer scene in Auckland over the last couple of years! Seeing places like Hallertau and Galbraiths gain popularity is surely a sign of this?

[Martin Bridges]

Mail in that form (or join up via the SOBA website) and turn up on Saturday!

[Sam Possenniskie (TGM)]

For me, meetings during the week would work better. My weekends always seem to be busy the day of the meetings. I've just had my first weekend home in ten!

So it's no lack of enthusiasm for the meetings, just bad timing for me.

[Tony]

Hi Martin, I completely empathise. As you know I work shift work and get 2 out of 8 weekends off. That makes it very hard to hold down a marriage, have a social life and do the things, one needs to do. The last couple off meetings I've made it to, I had to take a day off work! I don't know how much more dedicated I can be.

I'll be there on Saturday, as I planned to. I have been working on the very subject we are going to discuss for some time, but haven't said anything until I had something concrete. I still don't but I´ll spill the beans on Saturday.

I have also thought about the timing. Perhaps we could make it a weekday evening, sometimes? Or perhaps have people vote at the meeting, for the best date? Possibly even put out an email with a vote option? I think sometimes Saturday afternoons is difficult for poeple with family commitments?