As a Sidmouth Trader I would like to refute some of the posts here regarding lack of trade support.

Quite a few businesses including my own are members of the Festival Patron Scheme.
The majority of other businesses suport it in kind by offering a very happy & enthusiatic welcome to the festival goers.

Most of the businesses in Sidmouth are individualy owned and run
so they do not make as has been intimated large sums of money 75% of them are on some kind of income support.
Also you probably dont realise that we are one of the most highly charged areas in UK regarding council & business tax, even higher than some London Boroughs, they do not put up there prices for the festival these are the same year round because it is so expensive to live in this area.

And by the way THERE WILL BE 2005 Festival see:http://www.sidmouthfestival.org.uk/