Surprised to see this thread still active after all this time albeit it has drifted quite a lot.

Jim is right in that "tune pubs" aren't part of the tradition as such. Neither are singarounds nor any other type of session, of course. Folk Clubs(or festivals) themselves aren't either.

That's not to say that songs and tunes never happened in pubs or similar places but, as Barbara suggested, one couldn't assume that they had they right to perform, sing, or play music when they visited. It wasn't regarded as the norm or an entitlement and it just "depended" on the situation at the time.

So, I think that was really the point she was trying to make. It really applied to songs as well along with all other types of instrument. The specific comment re "fiddlers" was clumsy and a little disappointing but I don't think they were the main focus of what she wished to discuss.

Anyway, please carry on.
;-))