I think that clubs that are strict about "the pattern" fly either way depending on the wind. Everybody agrees which way the wind is blowing, then takes off into the wing, and turns away from the pilots on the first turn.

On the other hand, the three clubs I fly at rarely worry about "the pattern". Occassionally, you'll find somebody who insists on it, so you bring your plane down until they are done. Otherwise, either you're the only plane in the air, and you do what you want, or the guys just somehow stay out of each other's way. Maybe one guy flies high while the other is doing low passes. The key is that pilots need to talk to each other, both before they fly, and while they're flying to announce landings, "on the field!", etc.