NB: No membership is required to visit the HUNGRY HORSE FOLK CLUB.

It was  first founded in October 2006 following a call from the then licensee of the Hungry Horse Pub/Restaurant located at The Rake in Ellesmere Port, (near to the Cheshire Oaks Retail Park).   Originally starting in the bar area, folk music became so popular that activities were moved upstairs to the banquet room.    Many well known national and international folk artists performed there over the years including - Julie Felix, Harvey Andrews, Anthony John Clarke, Steve Knightley, Allan Taylor, Harvey Andrews and the like.

The organisers were at the time also the founders of the Wirral Folk on the Coast Festival, (later to be called The Wirral Folk Festival) which started in Wallasey, moved to a Bromborough Village venue at the then OC Club in Bromborough.    The festival became a very successful community event at that location and inevitably it outgrew the space available.      The organisers were then referred to management at its present venue - The Whitby Club, in Ellesmere Port.   This excellent sports and social venue proved to be ideal for the development of the festival and many successful festivals took place each year up to the time of government Covid 19  restrictions.      Some of the main artistes who performed at the festival were - Barbara Dixon, Ralph McTell, Lindisfarne, Dougie McClean, Harvey Andrews, Houghton Weavers.                                        The Presidents Lounge and Oak Room Suite then also became the regular weekly location for the Folk Club.

 

What you can expect at this Folk Club: -

 

PRESIDENT'S LOUNGE:

 

Thursday evening times here are - 7.30pm until 10.30pm.  No membership is required.   Entry is free  for the evenings in the plush surroundings of the President's Lounge.

There are two types of evening held there.  

They are:

*   Singers & Poets - In the Round - Effectively, singaround format.   Audiences are most welcome also.   They can expect to be entertained by some very talented local folk music performers and poets.    Many travel in from outside the Merseyside region.

*   BIG Spot Nights - involve Singers, Musicians &  Poets performing from 7.30pm to 8.45pm, followed in the second half of the night by booked acts (with that extra special bit of talent).   They perform for 50 minutes followed by more performers from the floor and then return to finish the night, concluding at 10.30pm.  

A hat collection is the reward for the BIG Spot act.

 

OAK ROOM SUITE:                                              

Advanced booking is often recommended for the excellent concerts that take place in the Oak Room Suite.    The performers are professional or semi professional artists of the highest order and in the past have included the likes of - The Houghton Weavers, Steve Knightley, (of Show of Hands), Phil Beer, Richard Digance, Tom Topping Band, Elbow Jane, Merry Hell,  Allan Taylor, Jez Lowe, Harvey Andrews, Bernard Wrigley,  Anthony John Clarke, Simply Dylan Band, Steve Tilston and many more.

 

Where is The Whitby Club?

SEE MAP - BELOW: -

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LARGER CONCERTS:

You will see in the programme on this website that the organisers and committee are very much into occasionally promoting larger concerts where all profits have been donated to local or national charities.   

These events go under the title - "Wirral Acoustic Concerts".   The likes of Kiki Dee and Ian Prowse have entertained us in 2025. 

In 2026, currently there will be three concerts featuring - 'Ian Prowse and the Fiddle of Fire Show' - Sunday 8th March - This proved to be a very successful afternoon concert, after which MacMillan Nurses Cancer charity received a very large donation). 

'John O'Connell's Simply Dylan Band' will entertain on Saturday (evening) 30th May;  and

The 'Merry Hell Band' on Saturday (evening) 28th November. 

Tickets are NOW available online via - www.wegottickets.com

 

THE VENUE: - for all three concerts is at the Royal British Legion Concert Hall, Pensby Road, Heswall, Wirral, CH60 7RF.   It has its own licensed bar and access for wheelchair users is very good.

 

CAR PARK: - The venue has a large car park and a large council car park is located a few minutes walk away near the bus station.