I agree with your last point - that it will take a while for the youth folk movement to find anywhere as welcoming, but I'm kind of glad that the change is being forced. Maybe the lack of places to go and suitable things to do will spur on some people to be new organisers etc and get a proper youth folk movement going.

While sidmouth was/(is?) very good for young people, it was always a little bit too "childminderish" to my mind, and the one thing that has never been nurtured is any initiative or drive to make events happen where they weren't happening before.

Maybe next summer they'll be a few more new festivals run by, and for, all the younger people that have a hole in their lives because Sidmouth isn't there. I really hope so.