I was pleased to see the club saying 'beginners particularly welcome' is a great success.

The ageing elitists still dominant in some areas/folk scenes will be backing out soon. Should they have controlled the every nook and cranny of the folk scene folk would be dying out with them as they've generally failed to encourage a new generation (bar the odd child "star") - and been less than welcoming new groups who might be at the age of growing out of Rock-Pop and want something more intellegent (except the odd one who has obviously spent a year in her/his bedroom practising their new folky instrument in front of the mirror!)

Luckily many excluded folkies over the years have refused to be scared away by the stand-offish and marginalising attitudes of the elite to those who whose face doesnt fit - and folk has a future despite the elites!

At our singaround last night I was the oldest person there bar one. We had a10 year old lad along with his parents for the first time, investigating what we do at our club. All three want to come along to the club again - and play next visit.

Ian Fyvie