I think there are probably a number of factors.

I think the first problem with the new festival was that it wasn't widely enough advertised. The end of the old festival was well publicised and there was some finality to to, so it needed a very loud and clear message to get over that there was going to be a new one. How many people even knew about it? Perhaps a year or two off followed by a heavily-publicised launch as a completely new event might have been better? There was also possibly some confusion with the similarly-named Fylde Rock and Roots Festival.

Neither was it very clear what the style of the festival was going to be. Yes, it had a comprehensive line-up, but the website says nothing about dances, workshops, sessions etc. On the one hand it seemed to want to continue from what the old festival had built up, but it was clearly going to be different in style from the old festival, but who knows in what way?

It had a good and wide-ranging lineup, but there was just not enough information to attract me. I want more from a festival than concerts, and don't pay much attention to the lineup because I usually find I don't get around to seeing half the acts I plan to. Their website tells us all about the acts, but very little about the festival itself.

It's a pity that all the hard work has gone to waste.