Odd, that, Ron! Folk Clubs often used to be run that way this side of the puddle... I think Westhoughton still is. Very few have a membership system now, though.

The house concert idea is something that has intrigued me for a while... I know of a few performers who do that over here - but driven by the performer rather than the householder, if you follow?

Sometimes you can attract a bigger audience by booking someone you cannot afford... but the risk of burnt fingers is high! If it works you look good, if it doesn't, no-one volunteers to pick up the bits.

I was in that situation in the mid 1980s - I was out of work at the time, running a modestly successful folk club. One performer (who shall remain nameless, but people who know me know who it was!) went back on his word. He had agreed to work for a percentage of the door, but demanded his full fee - in my absence.

Needless to say, we had nothing in writing, and as a result my young family had to suffer because of his greed. The club had to close, as I couldn't risk any more debt. I learned the hard way that people aren't always as trustworthy as they seem.

Before anyone takes me to task, I was much younger and more trusting (naive?) in thse days. He was a fellow club organiser, and knew the score. He'd asked me for the gig, and I'd told him we couldn't afford it. So he made the offer.

What was worse, he even went back on his word of offering me a reciprocal booking at his club, which says little for his integrity.

We'd had guests such as The Yetties (mates of mine - a special rate!), 'Big' Pete Rodger, Brian Osborne, Harry Boardman, John Howarth, Ted Edwards (just after his Sahara expedition!), Fiona Simpson and others I can't just recall... but folk audiences are notoriously fickle...

The club had grown from being a singaround to booking guests, and the regulars had a say in the guests we booked.