" we were woefully short of people (stewards) ". Strange, I was told by Alan White that all places were fully subscribed. I offered to give lots of my time before the festival but was told all the task force and people to build the campsite, etc, were already in place. During the festival week I was told by someone I know only casually as a folkie that I had a stewards badge waiting for me in the Manor Pavilion - the first I had heard of it!! Earlier, Folk South West had phoned to ask if I could do hours that I had specifically said on the stewards form that I did not want to do. They had been given my name and phone number but no details of what I said I could and could not do. Talking to other people, the whole organisation of stewards seemed to be very haphazard. The organisers did a brilliant job overall but if they had made more use of the help that I and others offered (and that was refused!) maybe other people would have had an easier time.

I have collated comments from many people I know locally and some who I know only as festival attendees. They are heavily weighted towards the dance and ceilidh events but there are aspects of the organisation as a whole that need to be discussed. Universally, the organisers are praised, but it is doubtful if 2006 can be a rerun of 2005 - the ticket structure and prices are not sustainable and funds of goodwill run out sometime. Personally I doubt whether there will be a LNE event next year - so few people attended this year whereas some of the Ham events sold out.

Some initial discussion is here feedback on Sidmouth 2005, problems for 2006