It puzzles me why some are prepared to admit to not supporting guest nights (because forking out a few quid and not getting to sing is a no no for a good night out) and then wonder why some club organisers throw in the towel.

I think I'm the only person who's been 'prepared to admit' this, so I'd better respond.

Yes, I'll admit to skiving off (most) guest nights, but no, I don't think I'm undermining the club. Usually I go to about one guest night in six and about one singers' night in three. But we don't have many guest nights, so in any one year I'll probably see one guest and go to 15 singer's nights. I'm pretty sure I'm contributing more to the club that way - including putting more in the kitty - than if I only went to the guest nights. Apart from anything else, while some of those singers' nights are well-attended (we've had anything up to 20 acts on), some of them - particularly in the holiday periods - are very thin, to the point where the presence of one extra performer (& listener) actually makes a difference.