Before going back to the original subject - the 'collapse' of folk clubs, is it possible for those who are using the thread for a slanging mtch to learn how to use email, so that those of us with an interest in the subject don't have to wade through reams of private correspondance aire din public to find the postings on the subject....

Anyway, I started going to clubs in London in 1980, and from my exerience the largest contributing factor was problems with the venue.

The first club I went to, the hammersmith Folk Club, at the Kings Head , Fulham had to compete with a rock band in the bar below, the sound (racket) permeating up into the room above...

The first club I was involved with running the landlord made it clear thatthe club was not welcome by keeping the heating turned off.

Another club in Chiswick which had a seperate room had problems with very loud juke boxes which would get turned up throughout the evening in the main bar, started hiring out the room for private functions on the first week each month, then later other nights at short notice ( not very helpful when there is a guest booked), and the last straw putting up the room hire charge.

Another great club in Richmond (Bull and Bush). Big name guest ewvery week and often a full house was closed due to 'fire regulations', even though the room had a fire exit.

On the singaround scene, two clubs I used to go to kept moving with changes of landlord/menu, as portrayed in Gerry Milne's song "The Landlord Got Moved by the Brewery"