In England - pubs in general are in trouble. Some of its their own fault.

The roads of England are policed very thoroughly nowadays and - realistically you can't have a nights drinking and then drive home even a short distance. The choice of soft drinks in most pubs is bloody awful and they're unforgiveably expensive.

Also the price of petrol has rocketed, plus many town centres charge a lot for parking. All of which makes for a more expensive night out than in the hay days of folk clubs.

The knock on effect of this is that folksingers can't really wander up and down the country learning their trade. Thumbing a lift isn't a great idea - too many Fred Wests out there. Lucy Ward has managed to sustain this approach, through these difficult times - but only with the help of a very supportive family. To spend eighty quid on petrol for a trip for petrol to do a speculative floorspot - is a bridge too far for many young performers.

So as old age takes its toll, and the people who established their reputations oin the 1960's and 1970's die out and retire - the number of artists who have learned the skills involved in being a good folk club act is declining. The majority of younger singers are trying to graduate into pro folk musicians are looking at arts centres and small theatres as their principle source of revenue. But really its a different bag of tricks - with different disciplines and requires a more hands on appraoach to the technology of making yourself heard and apprecited in a larger venue. And it has to be said - a more distanced singing style.

Folk sessions are still there in pubs, but the old style folk club is sadly disappearing. However youcut it Ian, it ain't happening ....yes many of theyounger artists are quite brilliant musicians and singers. But because they haven't done that thing of engaging with an audience (not just a gang of mates) their writing is of a a different character from say MacColl. who would sit there on his chair and introduce his song and perform it - just as naturally as telling you a story.

The folk club was one sort of performing opportunity - the folk festival, and theatrical setting is another.