Thanks for that Betsy - I like both the big stage events and also the more 'parochial' stuff such as Ryedale - and the folk clubs where I've played over the years. I'll say it once again - right or wrong, that's my impression of Saltburn. It's up to the organisers to change that impression if it's wrong.

Yes, I know Wendy shone at Saltburn; we enjoyed her performance at Ryedale and at KFFC last weekend where we (Whipstaff) were delighted to have her join us in one of our songs - helping us fight against the wind and rain that tried to drown us out. We're also looking forward to seeing her at Pickering FF in August.

Beverley is one of the festivals I think has got the right mix (and I've told Chris Wade so, in the past) - the big stage, the mix of styles, the smaller stage events, the fringe and lots and lots of old mates to chew the fat with. Personally, I'd like to keep Beverley just as it is. Maybe I'll make it to Saltburn one year to see for myself - with so many festivals around now, there really is something for everyone. Let's just hope they can all keep going.

One last point: let's be careful about being too 'protectionist' about the festivals we love - change isn't always a bad thing and it may be needed to keep festivals alive. And some organisers need to put a lot more thought into the way they publicise their festivals (but, hey, as someone who's in the business, I would say that!).