It sounds a tremendous line-up but I've already decided to head south to the Gosport & Fareham Festival at Easter this year.

No Shantymen there so far as I can see but a terrific line-up of artists nonetheless: Ralph McTell; Harvey Andrews; Show of Hands; Jez Lowe and the Bad Pennies; Eliza Carthy; Rod Clements; Eleanor McEvoy and more. Details on www.gosportfestival.co.uk (sorry I'm not intelligent enough to make the link a "blue clicky").

Although I won't be at Lancaster I'm very pleased to see the Festival continue despite the ending of local council funding.

It seems the Lancaster organisers have done well to keep things going with only good positive P.R.

Maybe they can teach the people in Sidmouth a thing or two?