I appreciate the efforts you have made to keep this session going, Dave, and indeed your loyalty to local live folk music which knows no bounds.
You did a fantastic job in finding a replacement venue at such short notice.
I appreciate there will be pros and cons to any venue. And the first of any series of events will never be typical of the ensuing weeks.
But sad to say I have to agree with comments made so far.
Having made the effort to attend on Sunday last, I came away with a headache, and much less than satisfied. It may have been a victim of its own success, but in the event it proved impossible to perform anything but the rowdiest and most "populist" of material. The wonderfully inclusive and genuinely supportive spirit of the erstwhile Bull & Fairhouse sessions was being sacrificed in favour of some individuals repeatedly "grandstanding", almost for the locals' benefit it seemed.
More seriously IMHO, the acoustics were less than ideal, and some singers could hardly be heard even from a short distance away, whereas (as you rightly say) many good singers didn't even get heard at all or didn't feel able to chance a turn. And yes, everyone was far too spread out to enable the usual "dive-in" principle to succeed.
I'm really not sure whether it's going to be worth my attending again, as I have to travel some distance and time is tight when I have another commitment on the evening of the third-Sunday each month anyway. That would be a shame, since I've enjoyed supporting the session for the past few years.
Hope my feedback is of some use.