Even worse is when an appalling singer gets up at a guest night at a folk club when people have paid to attend - that is what is likely to have driven many from folk clubs when a more consistently enjoyable night of music is available elsewhere

My partner would generally not attend our local folk club if she knew that a particular MC would be hogging the stage with his turgid singing. If she did attend she and half of the audience would disappear to the bar until he had finished. That is the kind of thing that empties folk clubs