Some interesting comments from the usual mudcat suspects

Will folk clubs survive post Covid 19? I thought was the question ~ but of course the wider longstanding questions are relevant

A number of pubs where folk music is an important source of revenue where I find the songs and the music are Doncaster Brewery Tap ~ where the pub brews and yes we sit in what was a Shop frontage ~ I reckon should survive

Fernandes Tap in Wakefield ~ real ale pub a good turn up of traditional style singers/musicians ~ and audience ~

Audience is vital for the on going survival of not just music performers but the pubs themselves

Polka Hop in Wakefield run by young folkies who attract the local Wakefield Morris and sword dancers and also musicians ~ while ever there is an interest in ppl gathering to make music, sing, dance and drink there will be a place and venue ~ all of course depends on continued interest

Concerty clubs are likely to hold and continue to hold Charity folk nights ~I know of two locally who make donations to Charities as a matter of course and attract audiences and enthusiasts on that premise

Professional singers are the key to Folk club continuance ~ many of the revival clubs were and continue to be run by the "young thrusters" there is and argumen that audiences are taken for granted and seen only as a source of income to pay for visiting professional and semi pro guests ~ this is another story!

So for folk clubs to survive depends on the attraction audience, and the nuts and bolts of how the club is run ~ it is not a matter of the guests booked attracting paying customers ~ for me in Barnsley the best guests are booked by the Local Authority entertainments ppl who have the bigger venues and can vary the entertainment and stand any losses whilst taking the profit (or increasing the contribution to fixed costs)

Folk scene is a wide wide animal with all sorts of facets

Folk clubs are ~I will define what I mean, a place where people congregate to sing songs play music and ditties that they (hopefully have learnt) to an audience of ppl who hopefully will embrace the performance ~ guest probably once every so often say once a month ish

A Folk club booking weekly guests is not to my mind a folk club ~ it is a Concert club ~ these should could and hopefully are run on a Club basis ~ it is hardwork and tasks need to be shared and this in turn should help the continued success of the venture

Ray