I used to run a folk club in Ullapool and we had "hunners" of guests from south of the border, across the Irish sea, mainland Europe and across the big pond.
Now when I think back I can remember names like, Vin Garbut, Tony Rose, Martin Windam Reed, Safron Summerfield, Leon Russelson, Nick Jones, Alan Taylor, Eddie Walker etc.
The band scene was different. Although there were, and are, good English bands, the cultural difference is more obvious when you compare them to celtic bands. There are, however, loads of Scottish bands regularly playing in English venues.