a beacon of excellence

I doubt very much if I'd go that far when describing the Lewes Arms after the visit I have not yet made. One fly in the ointment is bound to be the prat of a concertina player who can't stop telling everyone that he is the way, the truth and the light etc etc.

"F*lk clubs" always have (at least) one, usually several in a clique (called "the committee") who are responsible for letting their GEFF mates on week after week with their wonky ring binders of lyrics (which they never memorise . . . wot, we're amateurs) to bore the pants off regulars and put newcomers off what they've been led to believe is "trad music" for life.

Probably Matthew Parris has never been to one of these quaint, oh-so-outdated gatherings, but he and similar detractors acquired their widespread antipathy to the tradarts somewhere.

Absolutely no point in just saying their wrong. What's needed is to persuade them there's a lot more to it and it can be better, indeed wonderful when properly presented and performed. As it is in some places but not others.