If I were to go to a club where only traditional songs were sung I would soon get bored

Really? I've been going to the Beech singaround in Chorlton for two years; I've heard a few songs twice in that time (and sung a few twice), but I've heard at least one song I'd never heard before at every single session. (And, judging from reactions, I've sung something several other people had never heard before at most of them.) 'Traditional song' covers an awful lot of ground.

In an ideal world I think I would want to go to a club where only traditional songs were sung, but I know it would never be possible to have that kind of policy without getting into endless and pointless arguments. Les's line to describe the Beech sessions - "songs mostly but not exclusively traditional" - hits the right balance, I think. It certainly seems to work in practice.

matt: I personally think having an "all-comers welcome" slot is a really valuable thing, and because it's always given it's own little box, nobody could possibly confuse it with "the real
thing"

But that's just the point! Go to Chorlton FC and, nine nights out of ten, that "all-comers welcome" slot will be all you see: twenty-odd assorted semi-pros, amateurs and hopefuls, of widely (wildly?) varying levels of ability, doing one song each because there's no time to do more and get everyone on. And any newcomer to the scene, heading for the local FC because they fancy hearing or playing some folk music, is naturally going to get the impression that that's what "folk" is like. I know, I did - I was that newcomer, and it was several years before I found my way to somewhere where traditional songs were being sung & sung well.

I'm not slagging Chorlton FC (honest) - it's a good night out. But the music really needs something different.