hi
The National Festival in Sutton Bonnington is supposed to be the British National, which is why they have Scots acts and acts from (stretching it, obviously) Ireland as well as English people. It is my experience also, as much as I love and admire them (as most English folkies do), the Scots will dismiss many things that happen in England as English and will not attend, such as the Folk Awards and the National, despite the best efforts of the organisers. I always thought it was a shame that Simon Thoumire started a specifically Scottish Young Folk Award, when they could easily take part in and win the existing award..as Give Way winning last year demonstrated. Maybe they should move it every year, have it in Edinburgh or Glasgow maybe a couple of times. Are English acts allowed to take part in the Scottish event? Should we have an exclusively English event? Of course, we would be criticised for that. Sigh...as I say, I love them, but they drive me crazy!! :)
eliza