Problem is, could anyone make it work as well or better than Steve Heap and his experienced team? >

I teally think you have to look wider than that. One of the problems is that the festival was offering less and less to the ordinaty people of Sidmouth and the traders. A friend of mine talked to people in the town last week and they were extremely relieved that the festival was over. Many of the usual shop customers keep out of Sidmouth during folk week. The pleas to join the patrons scheme were extremely badly received.

There is no way that EDDC are going to sign a cheque and retire to a comfy chair.

Those who want to see the festival proseper need to give serious attention to how to make the whole proposition more attractive to the town. No, buying the occasional pint at a town pub isn't enough!

And why not send morris sides and other entertainers round to every rest home as I believe happened years ago? Those people hove votes!