glueman

I should have said I don't visit the places anymore, 1973 being the last time I ventured into one.

Might suggest that you're not that well qualified to judge.

Have they changed much?

If you never go you'll never know. Actually, in 1973 I was going to well attended traditional clubs with competent residents and a strong guest list and that's what I'm doing now. Can't say it's been like that all the time in between though.

any traditional that needs a club to keep it going is no sort of common man tradition at all

You seem to have shifted your position there from saying that there is no folk happening in folk clubs to saying they shouldn't exist at all.. I'm afraid that young Jonny no longer ploughs by horse; they don't cut the corn with scythes and the milk maid has been replaced by the milking machine. On the other hand, we do have antibiotics, anaesthetics, piped water, decent sanitation....

That world has gone. Either let folk music go with it or keep it alive wherever you can. I don't see why the Folk Festival is any more or less a legitimate place to do that than the Folk Club.