Ian

The 'I'll start a second one' type (relative of the 'you know this one don't you, Steve?' as they launch into another one of their own favourites) gets dealt with very simply where we have our singaround. Almost in unison he/she will be met with about half a dozen plus people going "whooaa, hold on a second that's not how we do things here" and life continues along as we want it to be. United we stand etc etc And at the end of each time round the room we make sure that anyone who has been missed or just come in can tag on the end.

Melissa

Why can't people be ready? Search me. It's a complete mystery. It's a difficult concept to grasp isn't it, this "have a go after the person on your right has gone" thing?
Personally I like music to fill the evening rather than an evening of conversation interspersed with occasional music which battles against the well of noise that builds up when the music stops, but that's just me. A typical evening probably sees us get through 40 or 50 tunes and songs so I do like to keep things moving. Hate raffles which get in the way (surely it's easier to stick a quid in a bucket?) and carry on playing tunes through the food...