“Like folk singing was supposed to be…” The English public house, access, inclusion and folk singing

<p dir="ltr">Paper presented by Dr Esbjörn Wettermark, University of Sheffield, at the Royal Music Association Study Day “Everyday Music Scenes: Pubs, Clubs and ’Stutes” at Newcastle University (UK), 14 April 2025.</p><p dir="ltr">Abstract</p><p dir="ltr">The public house in England has an iconic connection with participatory singing, and folk singing in particular. Singing in pubs, such as The Ship Inn in Suffolk, has been immortalised in books, recordings and films (Dunn, 2015; Lomax, 2013), and pubs in and around north-west Sheffield remain key venues for popular caroling traditions (Merryclough 2024, Russel, 1977). This notion of pubs as welcoming communal singing spaces masks real challenges to widening participation in folk singing. Indeed, scholars have increasingly turned their attention to how wide ranging challenges play out in pubs. As some scholars point out, the social dynamics of pubs (and clubs) differ depending on cultural, racial, and ethnic identities (e.g., Singh et al., 2024; Schofield, 2023; Thurnell-Read, 2023). Likewise, the heritage pub – with its nooks, steps and function rooms – is a popular singing space but notoriously difficult for many disabled people to access (c.f., Euan’s Guide, 2023; BBPA, 2016). Furthermore, lack of space and a building’s listed status can make reasonable adjustments difficult – a problem made all the more obvious as core folk song practitioners age and become less able to climb the stairs to the function rooms that often house folk clubs and singarounds. As folk music in England experiences increasing engagement from socially conscious young enthusiasts, the place of the pub as a singing institution is being brought under question. This paper will explore the pub's place for contemporary folk singing by drawing on research on participation and norms in the English folk scene (Hield & Mansfield, 2019; MacKinnon, 1994), as well as ongoing participatory research with folk singers in England as part of the UKRI FLF project Access Folk.</p><p dir="ltr">All the available items arising from the project are available in the<a href="https://figshare.com/collections/Access_Folk/7126222" target="_blank"> <u>Access Folk Collection</u></a>.</p>