Ian, no one could deny the admirable work done over the years - you've been tirelessly indefatigable in your championing of open-access singarounds but I think your claims of widespread disillusionment with the folk scene are wide of the mark.

You say that clubs "drove many new singers away" and "stopped a wider variety of people getting involved with folk." and refer to "a large number of potential floor singers.." and then "a critical mass was reached where there were enough people to form an alternative 'scene'"

These are exaggerated generalisations, solipsistic in the extreme. If there were that many disillusioned, disenfranchised performers, desperate for a chance to sing then your well-publicised thrice-weekly sessions would be bursting at the seams. But that's not the case is it?

I've been to your sessions many times when there have been three or four of us in the room whereas, despite what you say, most of the regular clubs in the area are in a pretty healthy state. To give one example: the very small and isolated town of Arundel runs a weekly folk club which alternates between booked guests and singers nights. You have to drive to get there and pay to get in - and it's packed to the rafters every week.

And here's a curious thing. There must be a couple of dozen open mic nights in Brighton every week and they're thriving in the ruthless bottom line commercialism of the high street pubs. A good or a bad thing?