"Would Sidmouth council be giving £5,000 towards the festival if there was going to be a problem with licensing?" -
Manitas at home

Answer: Yes. It's only Sidmouth Town council that's given a grant. The East Devon District Council (EDDC) is responsible for licensing and their grant has been cut from £60,000 in 2004 to £0 (nothing) in 2005.

That said, the atmosphere in The Anchor was wonderful last weekend and will no doubt be so in late July / early August.

One session does not make a festival though.

I'm sure those who return to my fair town in the summer will be able to enjoy singing in The Anchor and maybe even some morris dancers on the prom but if they walk up to the arena they will find it empty and if they go looking for all the concerts and dance marquees that made the festival so special they will find most (and maybe all) of them missing.

Come and enjoy the sessions, the sand, the sea, the sun but please don't try to pretend that the 'festival' will be anything like the fantastic festivals of years past. It will not be.