Hear, hear, Elizabeth.

Same thing happened up north as your SO experienced. Landlord changed, sarnies stopped, crowd changed, session died, lead fiddler started new session in new pub (The Sloop, in Barton-on-Humber, Tuesday night, plug, plug) on his terms, no pay, regular bar prices, but including the to die for sandwiches. Result: Better session than previous, although the same guitarist still sings very long songs in Am. I think, from a mean minded UK perspective, it would get on the tits of equally good session musicians to know that the leader was there for any reason other than the love of the music, so I think the exchange of filthy lucre does sully the ideal.

.....But if the landlord was trying to force a wedge into my back pocket, I would no doubt feel differently. I have earned good money playing pubs as a combo and a four piece, but they have been definite gigs, not sessions.