Widening the discussion from the true meaning of 'folk', one could then also question whether the term 'folk club' is a misnomer.

But in my part of southern England, we all know what to expect from a 'folk club'. There'll be a good number of the traditional songs. Also a number of modern 'standards'. Some popular songs from the 60s onwards. Maybe a comedy song or two. And perhaps some self-penned stuff, some poetry, and some instrumentals.

That kind of mix is good enough for me! I have a great respect for the oral folk tradition, but I'd not want to go along every week to hear just genuine, unaccompanied old songs (some of which are beautiful, but some of which, to be fair, are mediocre, whatever their social history value). I like the variety; and as this variety keeps me and many others going along week after week, the old songs are then shared with a much wider audience, rather than a small group of enthusiasts.

Returning to the initial idea of the thread ... in hindsight, I should have called it 'Writing a folk club standard'!