If you are coming to Sidmouth FolkWeek this year – and I hope you are, if only for part of the week – can I remind you what the Volunteer Inn has to offer by way of the best in musical tradition?

Can you imagine another event where you could see guests selected almost at random sing a song from the Music Hall, juggle with gherkins and play kazoo almost simultaneously? See step-dancing at its best? Hear a sensitive rendition of 'Scarlet Ribbons' by somebody who should know better? And listen to the best in balladry or comedy – all in the best of Tradition?

The In the Tradition session at the Volunteer Inn was always a timetabled event within Sidmouth Festival rather than anything spontaneous – although one often had the illusion this was not so. In fact, many of the invited guests had their presence there written into their contracts. That said, I feel sure few of them would wish to be any place else, but that is not for me to say. My own enjoyment of these events was such that I contacted most of you to see what support there might be for continuing the event within FolkWeek for 2005, until the future for the greater event can be resolved.

As most of you know, neither John nor Dan will be there this year, although John has threatened to drop in once his duties erecting marquees at the Dartmoor Festival are complete. However, I have had the best of advice from the pair of them and have promised to 'keep the seat warm' until normal service is resumed next year.

Another piece of news you might wish to hear is that the pub has new landlords. They are Steve and Wyn Lea, and I hope you will all welcome them and Christine who will also be behind the bar. They are very keen to maintain the excellent atmosphere we have enjoyed over the years – hopefully, this will mean that the irritating clank of mixer bottles into the skip behind the bar during the quieter songs will be but a memory. They have also told me they will try and open up the sash window on the Temple Street side of the room. Former landlord Dave Maclelland will also be around to give his usual robust contribution.

So, why are you bothering me with all this, you may ask? The event has been put on the programme as 'a traditional pub sessions with guests invited by George Frampton and surprise hosts' as opposed to '… invited guests by your host John Howson and/or Dan Quinn.' This was quite deliberate for several reasons: the first is that I don't crave sole responsibility for maintaining a quality event with which John and Dan are irrevocably linked; the second is that I will be dashing about Sidmouth all week as workshop leader for other events; and lastly, I have the world's worst memory for faces which can be misinterpreted as rudeness until people realise this! Dan confessed the same to me and suggested that we borrow the 'Have I Got News For You' formula whereby we have a 'guest chairperson' every day – Gavin Atkin, Tom Addison, Tom & Barbara Brown, and Liz Randall and Mary Barr have each agreed to act accordingly – but I shall be looking for others! Just think – this could be your chance to be John or Dan for a day!!

There will be ample opportunity to barter goods and promote festivals elsewhere. Possibly illegally for all I know but, as somebody once said to me: "You can't stop people giving you money!"

As Sidmouth FolkWeek aims to raise funds from scratch to promote something resembling Festivals of more recent years, a collection will be taken on a daily basis, with the exception being Friday, when the collection will be for the excellent bar staff.