Those are both rather small and remote places - there is no way a major festival somewhere like that could be an outgrowth of the local community, let alone the local folk club.

Does Whitby Folk Club take any part in organizing Whitby Folk Week? In several years of going I've seen nothing to suggest it. It's really a Bradford and Sheffield Folk Week that uses Whitby as a venue. Nothing wrong with that, but the event doesn't stand or fall with the fortunes of the local folk club.