It's dawned on me that perhaps the problem here is an assumption that only "folk" can legitimately be performed in a "folk context". It is demonstrable fact that a far wider range of music than simply traditional folk is performed in these places, and so there seems to be a desire to label all of this as "folk" in order to bring it into the fold.

I am quite happy to accept that in a folk club you can expect to hear more than traditional folk. I've sat in folk clubs and listened to, and enjoyed, music hall songs and monologues, Django-style jazz guitar, singer-songwriters, comedians, and Les Barker's poetry - none of which I would consider "folk" but none of which felt out of place in that context. The question is, where do you draw the line? The answer to that depends not only on your personal preferences but also on the preferences of the audience and the musical policy of the club.

If you want to have a club or singaround where people can do their versions of chart hits, I'm the last person to stop you - but I share the view of those who've suggested that if this makes up the majority of what is performed then perhaps it shouldn't be called a "folk" club.