I do also think there's a generation 'gap' here too. All 'youngsters' - i.e. under 30's - I know would say they are into, or like, northern soul, some even go to the odd night, but they all have such eclectic taste these days they would never consider themselves a pure 'soulie'. Right up to the late 90's you could probably spot different musical sub-cultures out & about through clothes etc, here in Newbury, especially in thwe 80's you'd walk down the street past the usual Mods, Rockers, Bikers, Scooter Boys, Rockabillys, Psychobillys, Boneheads, Suedeheads, Hippys, Dog men, Punks, Soulies ........etc? Now everyone not only dresses the same, but picks their sounds from a massively eclectric mix that would probably include music from all of the above sub-cultures. I think this is why youngsters aren't bothering so much with the all/nighter scene, who wants to go to limit their entertainment to boring old 60's/modern soul (remember I'm playing Devil's advocate here before the pick handles come out ) when you instead go to a Badaboom night night that plays tunes from across the board. I listen to mixes on mates laptops or phones (? f*ckin' progress!) and they're all doing a Mr Scruff now.
Soul has, like everything else, been commodified, and everyone dips in & takes a little bit from here and there, so probably the best signifier is those that go to a dedicated night - regularly or not.
There probably is more people with a greater knowledge of 'real' soul nowadays. whether that makes them osulies or not?
Sorry, I'll stop confusing things now, Lasagne time!