"all a far cry from the five-star hotel room the same club organisers were complaining about Ewan MacColl insisting upon around the same time!"
Is that another bit of MacColl Folklore SOP?
While I would agree that they would expect a bit more than a sleeping bag on a setee, on the three occasions that I was involved in booking them in South Shields they were quite content with The Marsden Inn, a nice pub that did accommodation but hardly 5 star!Also as I recall they did contact us on one occasion to say that they would be staying with friends in the area and such accommodation would not be required.
I do remember a story about a couple involved with another North East club who re-decorated their spare room having agreed to put MacColl and Seeger up only for Ewan and Peggy to contact the organisers nearer the date to say that they had arranged their own accommodation.