Steve posted this on one of the many Sidmouth threads. It is probably better here as it answers some of the questions.

On one of the mudcat threads (not this one) I posted comments about the much discussd crackdown on traders along the Esplanade during the 50th Sidmouth festival. In the event the crackdown was a damp squib - and probably for two reasons. First, part of the reason for having it was to try and show Steve Heap that some of his concerns were being taken seriously (for a change) but as the festival got under way a decision to exclude Mrs Casey's Music from future Sidmouth events had already probably been taken and secondly, it turned out that having a valid pedlars' licence overrides the council byelaws. What a hoot. Read all about it at
http://www.seered.co.uk/folk28a.htm

Was the informal music making affect in any way by this 'crackdown'?