Echo letter 13 May 2003

Inn's folk sessions were integral part of festival

As part of the group that organised the second Weymouth festival, I was disturbed to read (Musicians in folk boycott, Thursday) that the sessions at the Cove House Inn on Portland were apparently not part of the festival.

This was news to me and to my fellow organisers. Mr Gall was asked by the member of the group organising the pub sessions on behalf of us all, to run sessions at the Cove House as part of the festival and he agreed to this back in March. Far from being an alternative event, the sessions were regarded as an integral part of the festival.

Incidentally, Eliza Carthy was never invited, nor, as far as I am aware declared her intention to be a part of the festival, so I find it difficult to see how she could be boycotting it. As a Portland resident I, like Mr Gall, am keen to see Portland included in future festival proceedings.

Pauline Clenshaw
(One of the Folk Festival organisers)
Greenways
Portland.

It is rather sad that none of the current batch of local writers of letters to the Echo, could not have been doing this for the last two years, over the council's policy. Which deprived Portland of one session and would have deprived us of another, if the licnsee had not been prepared to pay for the PEL to enable it.

If they had there would be no need now for any of this bad feeling, bitterness and personally motivated gossip being placed publicly in the newspaper, rather than presenting me with it personally first. In fairness, a lot of the Echo's festival coverage is incorrect, including the pro festival 'spin'. This is the nature of the press, however I do stand by what appears as my quotes. These are nearly what I actually said.

Dear ...

I attach the following letter that I intend to send to the Echo.

As you are well aware my facts are correct and can all easily be confirmed, as detailed. Before I take any further action, I would like to first give you the opportunity to ask Pauline if she will write to the Echo and confirm that the information she supplied (I suspect in all good faith), was incorrect.

Perhaps you could advise as soon as possible so this can be cleared up without any more unnecessary bad-feeling being created?

Roger

[Proposed letter.]
Re-writing festival history?

Pauline Clenshaw, Echo letter 13 May, claims that I was asked to organise sessions on Portland for the Weymouth Folk Festival. If she checks the permanent email record about my possible involvement over the festival weekend, she will find that her claim is incorrect.

The record will show that I was offered or expected to be leading a session in Weymouth and a list of Weymouth only venues were supplied. On receipt of this list, the record will show that I expressed that my loyalties should lie with the licensee of the Cove House Inn on Portland, who supported folk music all year round, and where our regular Thursday session was held.

The emails will show that I declined the offer to lead a session in Weymouth and after checking with the licensee, declared that I would be running a session on Portland instead. I then made the request for this additional event to be placed in the official programme.

Had I accepted the original offer, it is a fact that there would have been no festival events - either integral or alternative, taking place on Portland, for the second year of this Weymouth and Portland Borough Council organised event.

I do not welcome her attempts to re-write history but I do welcome Pauline Clenshaw being so keen now to see Portland included in any future festival proceedings. The mystery is why she did not ensure that the Council organised some for this 2nd event?

For the emails will also show that I did also request that perhaps a Morris side or two from the Weymouth festival could visit The Cove, as the licensee indicated that this also would be most welcome.

Perhaps all this can be confirmed and corrected in these pages when the facts are checked?