It's completely out of order. Malcolm is as entitled to an opinion as any of you. In fact more so in some respects. The biggest storytelling festival in Europe quote, although I stated it, was on advice taken from those who know. Malcolm also has some justification for his assertions regarding the festival organisers who work very hard but who also have a need to listen to what the punters are saying.
Regarding the blues aspect Dick, I have to say I sat in a wonderful concert where the audience patiently sat through Liz and I, Martin and Iris, Pete Cooper and Peta Webb and then … two thirds of the audience left when the astonishingly competent and virtuosic artists at the top of the bill began singing blues. Whitby is not a popular music festival and, putting on my academic hat, I will tell you, blues is a popular music form which only the folk revival would consider to be a tradition. I'm not saying it's not important, significant etc. but it ain't 'folk' in the sense that Whitby 'Folk' Week seeks to embrace folk. Malcolm's statement stands.