"Round here you can, if prepared to travel 40 miles, be out every day of the week at a folkclub"

Round here it's only about 5 miles in any direction. There's not a problem, other than deciding where you want to go, and that depends simply on what type of music night you're looking for. Seems to me that the "Folk Clubs" of the 60's and 70's have morphed into a myriad of folk music venues catering for every possible taste.

As far as folk clubs catering for the pro performers are concerned, maybe there aren't as many as there used to be, but there's no shortage of work out there if the "product" on offer is marketable.