Perhaps the new model of the profitable pub is based on Wetherspoons. Whistst I love live music in pubs, there is something very comfortable in a pub with reasonable food and drink at sensible prices, and no Juke box or Musak.

I fear for live pub music, that more chains could go the same way. Rather than avoiding these chains we could all concentrate on a high level of support for the pubs that encourage live music by turning up and filling the pubs on folk nights - if every folkie visited an extra folk night once or twice a monthe the increased profits would send a signal to Sam Smiths et al

Stu