Well, there's a lot to comment on here, and it gets a bit complicated trying to respond to so many posts individually, so I'll keeep it more general.
Predictable guest lists: I have noticed this myself, and it is backed up by comments from others. Many clubs do book a varied list of guests, including some lesser-known performers, but there are certainly some who book only 'safe' acts. Look at a few club websites, and in quite a few cases, you will find that you know every name on the list, and in some, all of these will be in the top range. And I have been told by some clubs that they have their regular list of club favourites; you might think this fair enough, but how do they know who's likely to become a club favourite if that list is exclusive? And as for the frequency of return dates, many clubs are now only booking guests once a month, or even less frequently, so return dates are going to be at lest 15 months ahead. The frequency of return dates varies from club to club. Clubs run on many different models.
Floor singers: There have been a couple of comments about singers who don't come on guest nights, or who only want to listen to themselves. Floor singers were always an important part of the folk club, and it was always the way to get started. However, I have noticed a shift in the attitude of SOME singers in rscent times. There have, for many years, been those who would say "There should be no such thing as professional folk singers". Who says so, and on what authority? Some recent threads here have been about this attitude, and I don't wish to continue the argument here, but comments on such threads reveal a proprietorial attitude on the part of SOME amateurs, and an accusation that those involved in the professional side are 'money-driven'. They should try it. I wonder how many of these people do their jobs for washers. There is also a sneering attitude towards those who pay to listen. I have already mentioned that some clubs have stopped booking guests because they found that they were getting more people in on singers' nights, but what they don't seem to have noticed is that they were not getting more punters, just a room full of floor singers, who were not prepared to support the club on guest nights. These 'career floor singers' have thus taken over some clubs. I know from my own experience that some of them visit singarounds over a 15 -20 mile radius, and so are not faithful to any particular club.
Young Folk: One problem with the folk world in th UK (I don't know how this affects the US or elsewhere), is that we have a missing generation. So the much-needed young generation is not a direct continuation; they have come into a scene which has been changed for the worse by - amongst other things, no doubt - problems arising from this lack of continuity. Most of them didn't know the folk clubs as they were, and the performers among them are now arriving via the route of degree course~CD~'Young Folk Award' and expect to have a ready-made career in concerts and festivals, bypassing the taditional club apprenticeship. They do get bookings in the clubs, but I don't see them attending clubs in significant numbers as punters, and there don't seem to be too many running clubs themselves. So they are competing with us old 'uns for the work, but not making a significant contribution to keeping the clubs alive. Maybe - I hope! - this will improve.
Gawd! - I've just noticed the time. I've got to go and grab something to eat and then go somewhere. I'll be back!. This is a worthwhile thread, and so far has been civilised. I hold rather forthright views, and sometimes people can take me the wrong way; I hope nobody is offended by anything I've said here (as some have elsewhere!). I'm just trying to help a useful discussion along.
John Kelly.