From what I have read in the past fewer and fewer pubs do welcome acoustic sessions. Partly I think it is because musicians are so busy playing they forget to drink. Also to a non folkie audience, a lot of sessions are extremely boring to listen to.

We were very fortunate with both the Bull sessions as both times we had musicians and singers who chose material that would please the audience.

As an experienced session person, I try to be concious of the noise we make since I got it very wrong at Broadstairs one year. As a paid band we were asked to lead an evening session in the Neptune garden. It was a great evening - we did it acoustically and lots of others joined in. I only afterwards found out that the lower room in the neptune had traditionally been used for a sing around, and the garden gig made it difficult for them. I was not aware that they had a session there at the time. As a band you just tend to turn up and do whats asked. Since then I've always tried to check on noise levels that might annoy others -from keeping windows and doors closed if need be, to not playing the bombard. I assumed other experienced session people did the same.
FloraG.