I have noticed a definite buzz around C#House itself which hasn't been present for years. The last two times I've been for a concert (the St Georges Day concert and the Jim Moray concert in February) it has been absolutely packed. Also, they seem to have developed a young crowd who volunteer to help out at the concerts, attend the dance classes and just treat it as a place to hand around. The sessions and singing in the bar after the Copper Family, Vaughan Williams and Bert Lloyd events last year were really vibrant and fearsome in quality. I don't think I'm imagining the new lease of life that seems to have entered the place.

I think some of this is due to Katy Spicer, and some to Sam Lee. I don't think they'll be short of people applying for the post and I hope that they find the right person to take this buzz forward and turn it into a national, rather than regional thing.