Ah well, I've answered my own question by going back as Mike suggested and reading "Dear Dr Mudcat". It opens:

Subject: Dear Dr. Mudcat
From: GUEST,Mike Cahill
Date: 20-Jul-01 - 02:05 AM

About 4 years ago I started going to a music session in a small village in Yorkshire. It was brilliant, a wide variety of musicians of all levels of ability, playing all sorts of instruments, in a small cosy pub. Beginners were made welcome, and tunes were played at a moderate speed so that everyone could join in. There was gaps in the proceedings when people chatted but when the music was playing, those not playing listened. Unfortunately the place became quite well known, and is a victim of its own success. Now if your not there before 9pm it's standing room only, and there isn't much of that. Musicians are spread around the room because the can't sit together, little islands of Music in a sea of chatter. The majority now aren't musicians, but are there because of the music. The number and variety of musicians, is reducing, because a) they can't get a seat, and b) they can't hear what they, or the others are playing because of the constant chatter from people. We play louder, they shout! It is becoming a "box " night 'cos nothing else can cut through the din, and recently we have had problems with two tunes being played because people on one side of the room can't hear what's playing on the other side, this is in a room that seats 30 Max! It's awful to see the distruction of what was a great session. Anyone have any suggestions?

The above description and certainly seems to describe a night like I experienced in the jug. Now the odd thing is when I read further through the posts, after a post by McGrath where he suspects the original post may have been referring to Mudcat, I come accross this post setting him straight:

Subject: RE: Dear Dr. Mudcat
From: bill\sables
Date: 20-Jul-01 - 08:05 AM

Mc Grath, the session mentioned in the opeming thread is not about mudcat but it could well be. The one Mike Cahill refers to is genuine. I have been there and have noticed exactly the sane thing as Mike describes. Bill

This does seem to indicate to me that most of what I have read in this thread is based on loyalties than actual happenings in the Jug and little has been done with all the attacking/defending to address what I've now even found Bill Sables agreeing on, there are problems in that session.

I reckon if all the personal shit from both sides were taken out of this and people were at least honest rather than taking up attacking/defensive stances (which are probably preventing people looking at the underlying reality), perhaps something could be done for the good of all.

Jon