Commenting on the story: Adelaide’s plague of shouty cafes and restaurants

Noisy restaurants have driven us away.

The noise is partly due to the hard surfaces, but also to a total lack of respect for others.

I know other civilised countries where people are more courteous and respectful of each other’s comfort in public places.

It is possible to enjoy food and good conversation without having to shout.

Patrons, how about making an effort to respect other patrons in restaurants. – Etiennette Fennell

Thank you Rainer. Many of us have been fuming for years about this, so now let’s take some action by nominating quiet places to have a coffee or a meal.

My first vote goes to Bega Cafe on corner of Hutt and Halifax. No screen, no music, excellent ambience in and outdoors, lovely for people watching and great service. – John Coveney

I’m happy to discover there is enough opposition to loud venues that maybe more cafes will discover the viability of aural serenity.

But may I question the notion that older people need quieter surrounds because their hearing isn’t what it was, as I think the opposite is true.

Might it not be because younger people are increasingly suffering hearing problems, due in particular to being perpetually plugged in, that they are indifferent to noise levels in public which drive older people crazy.

That said, the fact remains that a generation or more of cafe frequenters equate enjoyment with loud music and shouting over it. For them, it is the aural aesthetic they want. And as far as I can tell, to them the sound of the coffee bean grinder and the equally vital cold juice press aren’t noise, they are melodies. – Cathy Chua

Of course this topic will expand into other venues. I changed medical practices because the original one had a radio on full blare on the receptionist’s counter blasting out techno migraine music and shouted commercials.

Requests to turn it down were refused. There was only one person under 60 waiting and she spent her time outside smoking.

Also, an earlier writer remembered Kappy’s coffee bar as an oasis of silence. Sadly I could not confirm this since upon sitting down with my then boyfriend and his very conventional mother, I was asked to leave by the waitress because “we do not serve ladies in trousers”. – Maire Mannik

Commenting on the story: “Sneaky and outrageous”: Cost blowout to Fringe liquor licences

Your article about the liquor licence hikes makes it appear that these hikes only affect the Fringe.  That is not the case.

These liquor licensing hikes have affected all events including charity events.  For example the Annual MRA Toy Run was affected by the hike to the extent that it was unable to afford to get a liquor licence last year – this was the first time in 41 years that this has happened and understandably many patrons expressed disappointment. 

All charity events that involve a liquor licence will be affected similarly and this means that patronage of these events will also likely be affected.

Whilst it is good that Consumer and Business Services Commissioner Dini Soulio has said he will look into short term licensing options for the Fringe, that is only one event.  He needs to look at changes for all events especially charity events.

For example in the wake of the recent fires it would now be impossible to run a BBQ and beer fundraiser for the CFS, as the cost of the short term liquor licence is far too high. – Geoff Grant

Commenting on the opinion piece: Build tomorrow’s disaster response today

Is it time to consider raising metropolitan CFS brigades that can provide a back-up to regional CFS units?

I’m sure that there are many locals in Adelaide who would be prepared to train in order to make themselves available during crisis times such as we’re experiencing now.

Their equipment doesn’t necessarily need to be front line as long as it allows training.

Such units could be deployed as brigades to supplement or relieve brigades in the front line, or individuals could be deployed to supplement existing units.

There could be benefit in pairing metropolitan units with existing regional units, for a whole range of reasons.

 And I assume that as the Army Reserve is now showing their value, there will be plans developed to ensure their current excellent training is supplemented by specific training for bush fires emergencies.

Perhaps a Reservist’s uniform issue will include the necessary fire protection gear?

With a metropolitan CFS reserve and incorporating Army resources into emergency responses, we could be doing something to take pressure off our superb CFS volunteers. – Langdon Blight

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