I think I have now been to every major festival in the UK calendar, whether as punter, market trader or performer.

Nothing tops Sidmouth - sorry! While I appreciate the differences between festivals and I like nearly all of them for their strengths, I think that nothing compares to Sidmouth for my generation in terms of a place where we feel as included as the older generation do. There is nothing which compares to the Shooting Roots venture amongst other major festival organisers. Fortunately Mrs. Casey still run the Towersey Festival where SR can continue their great work. However I fear that the youth movement in the British folk scene will take some years to find a home as compelling as Sidmouth run by Mrs. Casey.

It's a great shame. I wouldn't take it on given the bureacracy of the local council in Sidmouth - and I reckon no good businessman would if they knew the crap they were up against. You can all try to keep it alive with your goodwill but I reckon it's going to die whatever. The majority of the residents in Sidmouth deserve it to die - when a great deal of the shops/businisses go under due to the demise of the festival as we know it - the town will become a ghost town with nothing more than a post office. Then they'll complain - and it will be too late!

The locals who oppose the festival will complain to the same E. Devon council when the town goes under. They will not be concerned for the loss of a major part of many young folkies lives which cannot be replaced by any other UK festival. I cry at the fact that I won't be back at Sidmouth for the festival as I know it.

But we'll be back somewhere - even thought this setback will set the youth English folk movement back a few years - we'll be back - somewhere. And I hope the town has tumbleweeds blowing through the empty businesses as the majority of the population has voted for - it's all they deserve.

It's not to do with who's the best festival! It's just that Sidmouth was more welcoming to the youth element than all the others - and it was always more vibrant for it. Any offers?

Cheers
Squeezy