Atlas Bridge are delighted to be asked back to Morley folk club to do a full guest night.

Our Mission Statement
The aim and object of the club is to foster spread of knowledge about folk songs, music and dance and to encourage their performance by all manner of folk, in association with other local and national folk organisations as the committee see fit.

History of Morley Folk Club

The original Morley Folk Club met at The Albion pub on Bridge Street. Following alterations that made the venue unacceptable it moved to The Brunswick in Morley Bottoms. Following the closure of The Brunswick the club moved to The Angel on Bruntcliffe Road. However, after two years its doors also fell to “progress” and it became a Carvery and Travel Lodge. All of the old town centre pubs were either closed of converted to the dreaded “horse-shoe” bar, rendering them virtually useless as folk venue’s.

Morley Folk Club logo
Date last reviewed 10 Nov 2018

Date next review: 31 Oct 2019

In October 2009, the Morley Observer ran an article on town centre development mentioning that the setting up of a folk club within the town centre area was being considered. Keith Brown, now the clubs organiser, contacted Peter Mudge the Town Centre Manager and a series of meetings was set up, to shape the clubs future and to assign actions to attendees to bring about the clubs creation. The major sticking block was the finding of a suitable venue. This had been a problem to people with aspirations to set up a folk club in Morley for the last 20 years. The Regency Ballroom on Albion Street came to the attention of the organisers in late December 2009, following a visit and discussions with the owners it was agreed that it was a viable venue. Thus Morley folk club was re-born.

By June of 2010 it was evident that the Ballroom venue was not as suitable as first thought. The club then moved, first to The Morley Dashers on High Street and then again in January 2013 to the then Morley United Services Club Ltd. That club was closed down and the venue has now re-opened as High Street Sports & Social Club Ltd. The new management team there are happy for the folk club to continue its hire of the welcoming concert room on similar terms to the previous ones.

Morley Folk Club is well attended having an established program of local guests, National (and International) guests and singers nights. There is a modest admission charge for all-comers on guest nights but members and artists are admitted free of charge on the singers nights but are encouraged to subscribe to the raffle. Drinks too are modestly priced and the staff are welcoming and keen to please. In short, we are still very much alive and kicking.