The fRoots article about Hallam's appointment in 2009 makes him look like a product of the commercial pop/rock marketing biz:

Whilst at Royal & Derngate, Nick started to develop a folk and world music strand bringing in the likes of Richard Thompson, Kate Rusby, Cara Dillon, Oysterband, Waterson:Carthy as well the more eclectic Imagined Village.

Given what I see EFDSS as being about, that choice of bedmates would have me wondering "is that really all he can see in folk music?" - he can't have had a lot in common with the rest of the staff.