Extract from a piece in Living Tradition (July/August 1999) on Bob Blair, Tradition Bearer, by Pete Heywood:

One of the songs that Baring Gould put back into the tradition was 'Strawberry Fair'. Anthony Newley did a version of it and unless you accept that there is something particularly special about folksong style, then it was just as valid a performance of the song as any other. But if you play that version to anybody with knowledge of folksong, they either get annoyed or laugh. It is not fair to laugh - Newley is doing a legitimate performance of 'Strawberry Fair' as he sees it. I happen to hate it, but if you don't recognise the importance of style then Newley's rendition is as good as any.