Someone far up the page made the comment "If there isn't a folk club in your area, start one!"
Me and my Mum tried to do just that, we succeeded for almost a year until the loss of two venues in as many months left us with nowhere to hold it. Our audience numbers fluctuated, as we expected, but we still found that our biggest problem was the whole licensing issue, either pubs with ideal rooms didn't have to license to allow us to use them, or the licensees turned their noses up as soon as the words "Folk Club" left our lips. In short, lack of facility or small minds.

I am 22 and I have been going to festivals and been involved in the folk scene since I was in the womb, in fact I'm sure my Mum used to play me the McCalmans during pregnancy, and it really troubles me that where I live, near Nottingham, there is very little within my immediate vicinity. If I were a driver, there are 4 clubs, that I know of, within a fair distance, my nearest festival is in Mansfield, which I am on the committee for, but is only in it's 3rd year for any other festival I would need to leave the county to get to.

Nottinghamshire in particular seems to be deficient in folk (IMHO), if anyone want to re-educate me about that, please do!

What also concerns me is, something that others of you have raised, the decreasing numbers of young people to keep the tradition going.
It scares me to think that I may not be able to go to my favourite festivals or go and see my favourite musicians at gigs in 20 or 30 years time because they won't be there.

Flares and Platform shoes have had their second coming, surely Folk music deserves one too!

muppitz x