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Subject: RE: Sidmouth campsite to move? From: Steve in Sidmouth Date: 31 Dec 13 - 08:01 AM I have drawn together some of the arguments for and against the move to the proposed campsite, based around who would benefit and who might not. There is more to add but comments welcome on the table in this webpage. summary as of 31 Dec 2013, for comment One recent comment (not yet included in the above) again stresses the difficulty of providing adequate yet safe transport for the hundred or more people who want to get down into town for around 9.30am. Some would walk, there are no footways, the road is in parts too narrow for two small buses to pass (even without pedestrians in the way), you cannot safely cycle, and so on. |
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Subject: RE: Sidmouth campsite to move? From: Steve in Sidmouth Date: 02 Feb 14 - 05:00 PM Latest article in the Sidmouth Herald (31 January) states that the Bulverton campsite will be used in 2014. Under a front page banner headline "FolkWeek campsite move delayed by red tape" it is stated that festival chiefs have been told they need planning permission! Thus we are expected to believe that it has recently been discovered that the new site would require a planning application as well as a licence application (for alcohol/entertainment etc). This would have been known probably a year or more ago given the number of people who have been involved, including from the town council, and indeed it is referred to here: views of a local resident as well as in one of the articles published here: articles published 13 December 2013 It is more plausible that the upbeat October announcement First public announcement of campsite move was intended to be a dry run to gauge opinions and the strength of any opposition. This is often done in planning for new homes on Green Belt or for contentious alterations to existing buildings - let the first wave of criticism die down and then slip it through when no-one is looking. In October it was claimed that a final decision would be made by Christmas. In the latest article this deadline slipped to the end of January - and with the need to obtain planning permission being cited as the reason why the new deadline could not be met. So for this year it is back to the Bulverton - "our much loved and well established campsite and clubhouse". Other coverage in the Herald is centred upon the special acts for the 60th anniversary year. Details of these are on the official website too. |
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Subject: RE: Sidmouth campsite to move? From: Girl Friday Date: 03 Feb 14 - 07:46 AM As users of the disabled area of Bulverton campsite.. it was frustrating that the flat area where we were situated was at the bottom of that steep slope - but we managed it. Having once walked from The Triangle to Woodlands Hotel.. that hill is steep enough... we couldn't manage anything steeper, or indeed longer. The buses are invaluable to us, though we could drive, and use our blue badge (if there was available town parking.)We don't like the sound of this new campsite at all, and the buses would have a struggle up Salcombe Hill - not to mention towing our caravan up it ! Think we shall not come to Sidmouth this year. |
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Subject: RE: Sidmouth campsite to move? From: Richard Bridge Date: 03 Feb 14 - 08:43 AM Sue, it looks as if you will be on Bulverton anyway this year. For when you do get forced to use the new site - bring your caravan in from the other end. At some point there will SURELY be buses and the sensible thing would be a temporary one-way system/partial road closure with ONLY pedestrians allowed down Salcombe Hill and ONLY buses - sensible sized ones - coming up. |
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Subject: RE: Sidmouth campsite to move? From: Steve in Sidmouth Date: 03 Feb 14 - 08:52 PM There is a lot of discussion re: the mass transport issue. It is key to using the proposed new site. I'm loading some more material soon but for the moment, the Bulverton will be used again in 2014. That's really all you need to know! No-one should ever try and tow a caravan up Salcombe Hill. Oh dear me no....... Getting caravans to the site is easy enough via the top road. It is the mass transport between the site and the town at peak times that is problematic, and potentially dangerous. The proposed new site has some advantages ONCE YOU GET THERE - but not for some groups of people - here is my analysis as of the end of last year: who would benefit or lose out by moving the campsite? If you are interested in the new site, please do read the information that is already available before asking questions: sit down with a glass or two of something and start here. Page folk213 is the initial announcement in October. And no more rain dances please. We know they work. |
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Subject: RE: Sidmouth campsite to move? From: Girl Friday Date: 01 Mar 14 - 12:42 PM Just been on the festival website to see how much it will cost us. Prices have gone up a lot, and, weighing that and food, drink etc.against the enjoyment factor... have decided that£300.00 is a lot to fork out . |
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Subject: RE: Sidmouth campsite to move? From: VirginiaTam Date: 01 Mar 14 - 03:38 PM We will volunteer this year (if the email request ever arrives) but if the campsite moves (given my mobility problems and the fact our car barely manages towing our wee caravan at Bulverton, we will not be attending Sidmouth again. |
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Subject: RE: Sidmouth campsite to move? From: VirginiaTam Date: 01 Mar 14 - 03:39 PM Oh and nod to Sue... The only way we can afford Sidmouth is by volunteering. |
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Subject: RE: Sidmouth campsite to move? From: Richard Bridge Date: 01 Mar 14 - 04:10 PM Read my effing lips. Towing the TOP road into the TOP site will be easy peasey. PLEASE look at the gradients on the TOP road using an OS map. There are only two real issues. 1. Cost on a new site. 2. Mass transport on a new site. A temporary one way system UP the iffy hill and LOADS of busses 24/7 would WHOLLY solve the latter. |
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Subject: RE: Sidmouth campsite to move? From: ripov Date: 01 Mar 14 - 08:03 PM Buses (ie Alpha Coaches)from the Byes to Salcombe Regis currently go the long way round via the A3052, and then need to take a run at the hill. I would suggest that buses going directly up Salcombe Hill would need modified back axles (to get up the hill loaded) and improved brakes (in case they don't manage it.) |
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Subject: RE: Sidmouth campsite to move? From: Richard Bridge Date: 01 Mar 14 - 09:14 PM A fleet of 15 seaters would do it easy. |
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Subject: RE: Sidmouth campsite to move? From: GUEST,Derek Schofield Date: 02 Mar 14 - 06:23 AM Just to confirm, that the Sidmouth festival campsite is NOT moving to a new location in 2014. It will be in its usual location, at Bulverton. Derek |
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Subject: RE: Sidmouth campsite to move? From: GUEST,ripov Date: 02 Mar 14 - 04:34 PM What- several chained together with a Scammel front and back? |
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Subject: RE: Sidmouth campsite to move? From: ripov Date: 02 Mar 14 - 05:48 PM Bues, that is, not campsites! |
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Subject: RE: Sidmouth campsite to move? From: steve_harris Date: 13 Mar 14 - 01:02 PM A fleet of 15 seaters would do it easy. Quite right, Mr Bridge. A fleet of only 20 buses at peak times :-) |
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Subject: RE: Sidmouth campsite to move? From: Steve in Sidmouth Date: 31 Mar 14 - 12:49 PM I recently drove up and down the Salcombe Hill route, 'pretending' to be a small bus. I concluded you could safely do 4 round trips per hour per bus but you might need to avoid buses meeting each other on the worst sections of the road. Turning around at the end of Millford Road is far from ideal even with a small minibus - bearing in mind the several roads that converge near this point and the number of private cars that may also be shuttling people to and from the campsite at busy periods. There might also be a conflict with the 'Alpha bus' if that sought to use the same turning area at peak times. Steve Harris suggests a fleet of 20 buses - presumably so that several hundred people could be moved inside half an hour. This is an unrealistic expectation. More details on the webpages below. When I drove festival minibuses down in Cornwall (ten years ago) it was all quite relaxed, but it was an easy route along 'normal' roads. You could much improve the projections knowing the actual figures for bus travel to Bulverton - but I am sure they are a secret! More people would use buses to the proposed Salcombe Hill site because of the much steeper road. It would be an interesting exercise to utilise the Sidmouth Hopper this year to do a few trial runs, with lots of folkies as volunteers milling about along the route - and of course at night in the rain. The Sidmouth Hopper service only normally operates May to September and finishes at 5pm - so trips are always in daylight. I'll put this forward as a research exercise! 200 volunteers are required: you all get to see the proposed new campsite and have tea and cakes provided by Town Councillors (not paid out of my Council Tax). Seriously, everyone might learn from a few hours spent testing out the route under 'realistic' conditions. I have tried to obtain from Devon County Council (DCC) a copy of the so-called Traffic Management Plan that was submitted at the last minute by John Radford's Event Services company on behalf of FolkWeek and used as the basis for DCC saying that they had no objections to use of the new proposed campsite when their (informal) input was used by EDDC's Licensing Sub-Committee in December 2013. DCC have refused to send a copy, so the matter will go to the Information Commissioner. Devon County Council concede the draft TMP was inadequate. It is currently being reworked in consultation with 'locally interested parties' - presumably people in Salcombe Regis and thereabouts. But no amount of reworking of the TMP can change the nature or potential dangers of using Salcombe Hill for a fleet of minibuses mingled with pedestrians. The correspondence can be viewed here: emails to and from Devon County Council I'll reproduce later the many (redacted) emails between John Radford and Devon County Council. These have been supplied by DCC under FoI. I have heard nothing locally as yet about provision for substantial car parking near the proposed new camp site but will enquire. An expanded version of this post and a couple of photos are on this webpage Excerpts from mudcat discussions |
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Subject: RE: Sidmouth campsite to move? From: Susan B Date: 22 Apr 14 - 06:55 AM A fleet of mini buses, or whatever, would be fine, provided transport is provided for electric wheelchairs and scooters up and down the hill as well. It doesn't have to be the same vehicles, just a comparable service. Then it would be better than transport to the Bulverton, which doesn't have any services for electric wheelchair and scooter users, as the buses are not accessible. Could foot traffic be banned on the relevant roads and re-directed up footpaths? On maps it looks like there is a route, but I don't know how practical that would be. Will ask my husband to try it out this year as he goes for lots of walks. Mind you, that means that his definition of practical has to be taken with a pinch of salt! Are there any thoughts on what would be done for the social dancers? |
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Subject: RE: Sidmouth campsite to move? From: GUEST,walker Date: 22 Apr 14 - 05:10 PM Now we know that the campsite is staying in its usual place, what is happening about the Late Night Extra and the workshops that were held at the Bulverton marquee? Is that staying in its usual place opposite the campsite, or will it be moving to the new site up Salcombe Hill? |
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Subject: RE: Sidmouth campsite to move? From: GUEST,Derek Schofield Date: 23 Apr 14 - 06:10 AM There is no change as far as the LNE and Bulverton events - they are staying in the same locations as last year. Derek |
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Subject: RE: Sidmouth campsite to move? From: GUEST,walker Date: 23 Apr 14 - 07:08 AM Thank you Derek |
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Subject: RE: Sidmouth campsite to move? From: Steve in Sidmouth Date: 23 Apr 14 - 01:10 PM You can walk up and down the roads using Google Streetview. You don't need to come here!! I recently walked from town up and down to the proposed new campsite. Walking back on the flat from the site to the top of Salcombe Hill took 5 minutes. Walking down the hill took 15 minutes, then a further 5 minutes to the Ham, making 25 minutes. I walk quite fast, so allow 35 minutes for amblers. Going to the campsite, the stretches of level road are the same (allow 7 + 7 = 14) but walking up the hill (which somehow I managed to do without stopping) takes at least twice the time of coming down. So 15 becomes 30+ or maybe 40+ for most people. So in round figures I'd allow an hour to walk from town to the campsite. This lends itself to a competition, provided appropriate medical facilities are in place along the route! I'll try and time myself from the Ham to the 'new' campsite entrance sometime soon. If I live to tell the tale, I might issue a challenge..........all money to charity. In answer to Susan B - there are no separate footpaths up Salcombe Hill or anywhere else in the vicinity unless you'd like a yomp along uneven distant bridlepaths - this has been discussed before on this thread. On the steepest parts, and elsewhere, Salcombe Hill is little more than 12 feet wide. Most of the way it is 14 to 16 feet wide. None of the route is lit. It is a nice walk up Cliff Road and winding around to Alma Lane, but there is no other option for the longest and steepest part of Salcombe Hill, except the long way around via the A3052 of course. |
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Subject: RE: Sidmouth campsite to move? From: GUEST,David Date: 04 Jul 14 - 11:02 AM We stayed at the official site last year, £40 for two on a sloping field filled with rocks...brilliant |
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Subject: RE: Sidmouth campsite to move? From: GUEST,Returning to Sidmouth after a few years away Date: 19 Jul 14 - 05:25 AM Am I right in thinking the panic is over now? |
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Subject: RE: Sidmouth campsite to move? From: GUEST Date: 19 Jul 14 - 07:35 AM Only for this year unless there is news that I don't know about. This thread has been hit heavily by spammers resulting in many posts being deleted. If it needs to be reopened, please contact one of the moderators, or better yet, start a new thread. --mudelf |
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