We book top quality folk, roots and acoustic artists, hosting concerts once a month during the spring and autumn seasons. Bournemouth Folk Club was founded and run by Paul Burke for over twenty years, the club has booked many of the greats over the years, along with featuring up and coming artists. In the early days the club ran out of the Cellar Bar at the Blue Boar in Poole, before relocating to Centre Stage. After the sad transformation of Centre Stage into a convenience store the club used various hotels in Bournemouth before finding a regular home at the charismatic Shelley Theatre in Boscombe. Following Paul’s retirement in late 2020, Jo Elkington and Leo MacKenzie took over. To reflect how things are now run as a concert series we rebranded to BFC Presents in 2023.
MEET THE TEAM
We are Jo Elkington and Leo MacKenzie. We’ve been friends for years. Anyone remember Kadia? Leo is the singing cellist and Jo was the manager of the band. We’ve worked together on musical promotions in the past, including programming the music for Wimborne Minster Folk Festival in 2019, the year we moved the concerts into the Minster church. Together we host the Totally Folked podcast.
Jo is a music photographer and live music booking agent at Fancourt Music. You’ll find photos of past Bournemouth Folk Club gigs on her Facebook photography page. She keeps bees, volunteers at a hedgehog rescue and occasionally scrapes out the odd tune on her fiddle.
Leo is a professional musician, half of The Last Inklings (along with David also from Kadia) and a member of Ninebarrow’s band. He’s a session musician and peripatetic music teacher for several local secondary schools. He has performed at the folk club a number of times with Kadia, most recently supporting Jim Moray the time before last he played the club! When he’s not engrossed in music and events, Lee is often buried in a sci-fi novel or following the latest archaeology news as a qualified prehistorian.
We are long standing folk fans and regulars at local gigs and festivals. You may even have seen Leo compering at Purbeck Valley Folk Festival, and Jo with a camera (or two!) in her hand at many of our local gigs and festivals.
OUR VENUES
St Andrew’s Church, Kinson
A historic medieval church nestled in a picturesque churchyard near Pelhams House in Kinson. A bright and airy space, recently modernised with underfloor heating and good disabled access. There is a small car park behind the church hall and ample parking on the streets around and in Kinson’s public car parks. A number of bus routes serve Kinson, stopping at the library a short walk from the church. Toilets and bar are located in the adjacent modern church hall.
St Ambrose Church, Westbourne
Located on Westcliff Road in Westbourne, St Ambrose church has a long association with music and has been the home of the Westbourne Orchestra for nearly 100 years. It regularly hosts Bournemouth University music events and is also the home of St Ambrose Strings. A large and spacious church, it has ample free parking on site and on the streets around, it’s easily accessible on a number of bus routes and has good disabled access. Toilets are located in the adjoining church hall.
NINJA RAFFLE
The stealth raffle that no one shall speak of! Proceeds from the raffle are used to fund paid support slots, giving local and emerging artists the chance to play. Buy your ticket on the way in or in the interval and check to see if you’ve won a prize on the way out at the end of the evening.
BAR
We run a licensed bar offering a selection of Southbourne Ales from Poole Hill Brewery, cider, wine and soft drinks. Cash and card accepted.