Yes, as I said, the festival fringe was buzzing and we couldn't get near on Sunday afternoon. I always said that the Middlewich fringe should be run as a 'proper' fringe - i.e. run by the pubs and clubs themselves rather than the festival and they rose to the occasion magnificently by all accounts.
But I don't think the festival was run 'out of no money'. The new banners with the Town Council's logo on must have cost about three times more than the Town Council's grant to the old festival.
I think there was money to spend and the council elected to spend most of it on the 'community based' side of the festival - understandable and right and proper. He who pays the piper calls the tune, after all. But if the festival wants to cater for the type of folkies who use to come here - those who do 'the summer festival circuit' and like to attend concerts - then, obviously, more money needs to be spent on that side of things. Perhaps more sponsorship deals are the answer?