Good points indeed one and all. I agree with the public room bit. The last couple of years at Swinton Festival we have had a 'public singaround' going on all day in the bar and it has gone down great with the pub regulars. Perhaps we should have our singers nights in the bar as well and keep the room for guest nights where we have to pay the artist and therefore charge at the door?

The identity point is a as well. But why then do other Countries outside the UK have a better folk scene? Or is that just my perception? Other mans grass and all that? Do Germany or France feel the need to maintain their identities more than the people of England do? Perhaps we do need the EU as something to remind us that we need to keep our identities as well! But that's a whole new bucket of whelks...

Cheers

:D