Agreed, far tougher to win a title in the days of Hammond, Clarke, Knight, Ellis and a younger Craigy ….Long story, although without Olympic status or a significant introduction of funds at World level to increase the number of pro teams, I cannot see the Brtish scene changing. The decline has been evident over the last decade and largely precipitated by the introduction of the talent team and Olympic programmes. At the age of 12-13-14 years it is the same riders who lead the cross events who are also at the front at MTB and road/track races. They have all round talent and do not specialise so early. The introduction of the BC talent programme about a decade ago placed virtually total emphasis on the track (more controlled environment and plenty of Olympic medals available). At this point, very large numbers of young riders went for, or were pushed towards a track specialisation. As the Olympic programmes developed during the next few years road and MTB gradually received more emphasis and yet more riders specialised in those areas at the expense of a non-Olympic (and in the British context) amateur option such as cross. Many of the riders who have won junior and U23 National races in recent years have been in the process of joining an Olympic Academy or are already on it and just using cross for training in preparation for their main discipline e.g. the top 2 U23s at the Nationals.
Some of the “old stagers” who are at the sharp end now are the same guys who were at the front of races a decade ago. They are still there because dozens and dozens of young riders who should have come through and challenged or moved beyond them have switched to Olympic Academies, joined some of the UCI Continental road teams or have packed up because there is no money in it (bank of mum and dad dries up eventually).
) never pushed for cyclocross to become an Olympic sport. 
)