Bookings and Enquiries
Welcome. For booking enquiries contact Avril Cameron on 01843 864208
For further information contact the website administrator Adrian Barrett -
Or visit us at The Royal Marines Club, Walmer, Deal, Kent, CT14 7DX
Who Are We?
We are a group of folk enthusiasts based around the South Coast of Kent who meet every Friday night (hence the name!). Although trad and contemporary folk music predominates, we also have a sprinkling of blues, cabaret, music hall and even a resident Kent poet and an Irish storyteller (Ken Latham and Adrian O' for those who like to know these things) - so our tastes are quite cosmopolitan! We aim to start at 8:15 and finish at 11 o'clockish as the landlady likes us out by then.... Generally we have between 25-35 singers and audience and every 3 wks approx. is a guest night. New faces are always welcome and we are very supportive of those just starting out... after all we were all there once and some of us still are!! You do not have to book for a floor-singers slot, just turn up and let Avril know that you would like to sing or play (or both) - you can't miss Avril as she's at the door doing the important bit - taking the money! At £1.50 for singers and £2 for non-singers on Singaround nights, this is a reasonable price to pay for an evening's entertainment and enablesthe club to pay the guest (they will insist on being paid!) when we have one. Guest nights are usually £5.00. So, don't be shy - we really are a friendly bunch and are always happy to welcome newcomers.
Deal Folk Club History
The Friday Folk Club, Deal, has been in existence since the 1960's in one form or another. Indeed, one of our members, Martin still remembers it from the original days when it was held on the end of Deal Pier. The club folded like so many others at the time, but re-opened in 1981 at the Yew Tree, Mill Hill, thanks to Lynda Borley and Dave Frakes - we celebrated the club's silver jubilee in 2006. Since then the club has had it's ups and downs - we have moved from pub to pub having been variously thrown out or unwilling to meet increased room charges from new landlords. From the Yew Tree the club moved to The Pelican where Sue Watson and Colin Baldwin were the MC's. This was followed by The Drum Major, The Green Beret, The Alma and the Star & Garter. The late Alan Sugden ran the club at the Alma and for a while at the S&G. The Star & Garter will be perhaps the one that we miss most, with Glenys and her daughter Michelle dispensing a great drop of Shepherds Neame in that smoky old bar. Unfortunately the brewery sold the pub for housing (!!) and we were again on the road. Fortunately the Royal Marines Club on Walmer seafront took us in and we now have a new home at a larger venue than the Star, with great sea views (had to get that in for Avril!) Avril Cameron has been our MC since the Star & Garter days and also looks after the guest bookings. We meet every Friday night (hence the name!) and usually keep going over Broadstairs folk week although audiences are a bit sparse that week - but that means that floorsingers get a chance to perform a few more songs than usual! Adrian.
The Yew Tree 1983
