My picture is something akin to having Tim Laycock / Dave Webber & Anni Fentiman / Cyril Tawney (when he was with us) playing to a small but attentive audience in a side or small function room, with no PA. People probably seeing them for free and able to come and go as they wish - between songs but preferably not during them. That is the sort of festival 'concert' I think fits in pubs - or an afternoon or evening with performers of that class and type scheduled at different times.

Certainly many of our larger pubs/hotels do have side rooms that would enable the sort of affair that you describe to take place without affecting affecting any other informal gathering and where many different types of informal music making could take place at the same time. There are many examples of that. So that is fine, I am only concerned where one form of music making (in an unsuitable venue) is preventing another (more suited to the venue).

For many of our small pubs only have one area available for any form of music making. My view is that where possible during festivals such places should be made available for informal music making and where any festival guests who may wish to join in with what is taking place, can be made as welcome to do so as any other participant.