"Mixing in folk song with what appears to be happening now if not going to attract a single individual to folk music - why on earth should it?"

But then, why on earth shouldn't it? It didn't seem to put people off during the boom years, when (as others besides me have pointed out) the clubs presented a broader interpretation of "folk" than purely traditional. "What appears to be happening now" is nothing new. How many people in the 60s discovered traditional music from first listening to Bob Dylan and then exploring other aspects of folk? How many people familiar with Simon and Garfunkle's "Scarborough Fair" may then have siscovered Martin Carthy's version?

Someone hearing "Fairytale of New York" on the radio might look on Spotify for the Pogues, which might then introduce them to Oysterband, which might lead to their version of "Our Captain Cried All Hands" with June Tabor, which might then lead straight to Pop Maynard's version from VoTP - they're all on Spotify. It's easier than ever before to discover new music and follow connections, and young people are far more open-minded - if they like something they're not concerned with whatever label has been put on it.

You continue to assert that a broad interpretation of "folk" is both new and damaging, without providing any evidence that it is actually putting off young people. When festivals like Shrewsbury and Towersey, which attract sizeable young audiences, sell out rapidly I don't think this can be true.