It depends whether you believe that guest booking folk clubs help to raise standard of performance

Well you'd think it would wouldn't you. I really do get where you are coming from on this Sandman. But from personal experience some have observed that the "Folk Club" I regularly attend, which runs every two weeks and puts on every year at least six Guest nights, it runs two festivals and puts on three concert nights all involving professional artists and good local performers, the following really odd pattern involving what crowd turns up to what.

Normal Club nights - We get a regular group turning up to play. Standard not really all that great and mostly mediocre 50s, 60s and 70s pop songs. Once in a while we get some quality nights with great singing but those are few and far between.

Guest Nights - Moderately to well attended by a few who turn up at the normal club nights with the bulk made up of people who do not attend normal club nights. The players who turn up at the normal nights rarely if ever tutn up and these would be the people who would benefit from seeing how it should be done.

Concerts - two Fund raisers and one memorial - Same crowd as for Guest nights.

Festivals - Draw in lots of visitors and players all concerts well supported and three sessions running all the time, again the players who regularly attend the normal club nights are nowhere to be seen.

It would seem that those who turn up to play at the normal club nights only actually want to hear themselves and do not seem to be interested in learning or improving.