Jack, I think the position is different in England. Scotland has a strong sense of its own identity and culture, and has institutions which support those as well as more informal networks. The same applies to Northumbria.

The same can't be said for the rest of England. A few universities may offer opportunities to study folk music but that's about it. I may well be mistaken, but judging by the course details on its website the main undergraduate degree seems to put as much weight on world and 20th/21st century popular music as it does on the "music of these islands". It has modules on Baroque opera, hip hop and DJing but nothing which expressly addresses English music.

Down here it is left largely to enthusiasts and whilst many do excellent work it is inevitably localised.