WHITBY has long been a wellknown centre for folk music, with its harbour and narrow streets oozing atmosphere and revelling in a rich salty history.

Such features have made it a perfect setting for the annual August folk week for the past four decades or more, and the May Bank Holiday Whitby Moor and Coast Festival was a welcome addition to the UK folk calendar when it began in the mid-1990s.

Sadly, the time has come to bid farewell to the Moor and Coast. This year’s event will be the last, and I’ll be joining in the bittersweet celebrations, starting tomorrow night, along with a stellar cast including Vin Garbutt, Tom McConville, Dan McKinnon, Elbow Jane and many more.

Happily, the August Whitby Festival will go on for many years to come, judging by its world-wide popularity among the folk crowd.

Elsewhere this week there’s a stack of great music for us to enjoy.

Monkey’s Fist are at Skelton’s Duke William tonight, and that fine New Zealand songwriter Martin Curtis is at Robin Hood’s Bay folk club on Friday, Guisborough Rugby Club on Sunday, and at Stockton’s Sun Inn on Monday.

The House Sisters, a new name to me, are at Westoe Sports Club in South Shields on Sunday, and Washington’s Davy Lamp has a double-header on Saturday, featuring fiddlerraconteur Jim Eldon and Tyneside’s godfather of folk guitar Jed Grimes.

I notice also that Terri and Eric Freeman have been allowed out of the Davy Lamp on good behaviour for a guest spot this week at Birtley Folk Club, now at The Catholic Club every Wednesday night. Finally, thanks to everyone who came to my solo gig at Darlington Arts Centre last week, and to opening act Loose Connections, who all helped make it one of the best nights I’ve had for ages.