50th and last Sidmouth festival?

Subject: RE: 50th and last Sidmouth festival?
From: Tattie Bogle
Date: 16 Jul 04 - 06:56 PM

My mother-in-law has just sent on a "Sidmouth Herald" (9.07.04.) from which it appears that the town Council want to be "thoroughly involved" in any discussion re the festival's future.
"Apres le deluge, mes amis?" ...easy to be wise after the event!
It made approx 20% of page coverage on page 5 of the paper, while page 1 is given over almost entirely to"No thanks to farmers' market".
Priorities,eh?

Subject: RE: 50th and last Sidmouth festival?
From: GUEST,Steve in Sidmouth
Date: 16 Jul 04 - 07:43 PM

I can assure you that the wish on the part of the Town Council to be 'thoroughly involved' with any future festival could be more of a threat than a promise - "we want far more say in what goes on in OUR TOWN" - unquote.

In the past there has been much feeling that "Steve Heap Inc" have 'taken over' Sidmouth (about time someone did!?!) and some people (no names) want more CONTROL for themselves. Now if I told you that the Town Council has a strong body of shopkeepers (who didn't want the proposed farmers' market because it would be competition) and who for years have objected to the food and drink stalls in the Arena because they want all the trade in their shops, you might get the general drift.

But don't say I told you, please. I have to live here remember? The hot news at the moment is that a small area of land with WEEDS is to be tarmacadamed so that nothing whatever can grow on it. It's all part of Sidmouth's drive towards environmental purity, and weeds are DISGUSTING. Ask any butterfly.

Subject: RE: 50th and last Sidmouth festival?
From: Folkiedave
Date: 17 Jul 04 - 04:57 AM

"the food and drink stalls in the Arena because they want all the trade in their shops..."

Whenever I need food during festival (and I confess there is more demand on my part for drink) the shops invariably have long queues.

And because of the desire to see events my demands are often made at non-traditional moments so it isn't just going when everyone else does.

If the food and drink sales came from the arena and into Sidmouth how on earth would they serve us all? Perhaps we would then give up and go for a pint and then have another pint and then we are drinking on an empty stomach and might be sick all over the newly tarmaced land and get blamed for being drunks whereas it is really all due to the Town Council....and shopkeepers.....

Best regards,

Dave

Subject: RE: 50th and last Sidmouth festival?
From: GUEST,Steve in Sidmouth
Date: 17 Jul 04 - 05:38 PM

I've lived in Sidmouth for over seven years. I've been a councillor and I know probably more than many people what goes on hereabouts.

For the record, the town meeting was attended by about 80 people over 60 of whom were from Sidmouth or the immediate locality. Fifteen left their names with the Town Clerk as being interested in assisting the festival if they could - and some of these were from outside Sidmouth. A survey undertaken in the local Sidmouth Herald in the weeks before the meeting produced a 2:1 vote in favour of retaining a festival - in round figures 200 votes for and 100 against, out of a population of around 13,000. The circulation of the Herald is over 7000 copies per week - in two weeks 14,000 forms would have been available to be returned.

The 'return rate' of only 300 out of 14,000 is about par for the course in marketing terms (most 'junk mail' never even gets read let alone acted upon).

I hope that helps. My own view is that if the festival is 'saved' it will primarily be people from outside of Sidmouth who will take the lead. I would guess a handful from Sidmouth would be prepared to really give some time and effort.

As for the AFO report, I have far more to say about the conclusions drawn from the sample than about the methods of sampling which as you say may be broadly OK. See www.seered.co.uk/folk22.htm and the preceding page (/folk21.htm).

The argument in Sidmouth has raged for years - how much do locals who pay council tax actually get back from the festival? My method of analysis would suggest perhaps very little - it is a challenge to others and so far there has been no comment of any significance. Maybe EDDC and others have gone to ground?

I agree on the food and drink angle. The shops in town can hardly cope with the demands now, they would be swamped if they became the sole providers of sustenance but this has not prevented yearly carps about stalls "taking trade away from town shops" .

Subject: RE: 50th and last Sidmouth festival?
From: Manitas_at_home
Date: 18 Jul 04 - 04:05 AM

Do the town traders ever think of applying for concessions at the Festival? Of course there are some stalls they couldn't provide (Mexican hammocks, accordions etc).

Subject: RE: 50th and last Sidmouth festival?
From: Bob H
Date: 18 Jul 04 - 02:20 PM

Some local traders have gone to the arena in the past. Puddleducks, the toy shop, did for a while then stopped for some reson. The concession fees may be a problem for them - and I suspect that having to split the business, take on extra staff and so on at a time when they are super-busy anyway means there is little if any benefit.

Bob

Subject: RE: 50th and last Sidmouth festival?
From: GUEST,Steve in Sidmouth
Date: 18 Jul 04 - 05:13 PM

I think Bob H sums it up well. I knew an out-of-town girl who ran a hat stall, she gave it up because of the high fees charged for a few square metres of space. One of the biggest losses in my view was the large bookstall that ceased a few years ago - I met a few interesting people there. OK, I admit it, a few interesting women.

Subject: RE: 50th and last Sidmouth festival?
From: Folkiedave
Date: 18 Jul 04 - 08:12 PM

Why do you think I do second -hand folk books?


Dave

Subject: RE: 50th and last Sidmouth festival?
From: Dave Bryant
Date: 19 Jul 04 - 11:58 AM

Linda & I should be around for some of the time. I hope to make it to the middle bar session - I was involved in starting it about 27 years ago !

Subject: RE: 50th and last Sidmouth festival?
From: Scooby Doo
Date: 19 Jul 04 - 09:07 PM

Dave,
MBS is 25 years old this year.Tony Day has Sweatshirts and a book written about the history of the MB.

Subject: RE: 50th and last Sidmouth festival?
From: Dave Bryant
Date: 20 Jul 04 - 04:30 AM

Tony (I am the Music Man) Day didn't start the MBS, it was going several years before he got involved with it - he agrees. He has done a wonderful job of keeping it going and helping to build it into the institution it has become.

The year we started it, every pub in Sidmouth was being taken over by musician's sessions. That year, both Fred Jordan and Mervin Vincent were at Sidmouth, and we (myself, Charley Yarwood, and I think Ken Stevens) wanted somewhere that we could run a singaround with them. We managed to find the middle bar - there was something happening in the front bar and of course a dance out in the garden. It caught on, and by the time Tony took over the organisation, was already well established.

Subject: RE: 50th and last Sidmouth festival?
From:
Date: 20 Jul 04 - 06:03 AM

dear dave,i wont be able to judge at doom gloom & despondency as i cant get a ticket for the festival !!! see you at bromyard hopefully       martin

Subject: RE: 50th and last Sidmouth festival?
From: Dave Bryant
Date: 20 Jul 04 - 06:25 AM

We won't have tickets either - we only fairly recently decided that we could make it (Linda's son will be at scout camp). You shouldn't need a ticket for most of the sessions - just find somewhere to stay or camp. We'll probably be on a site in the direction of Seaton or Honiton and drive in each day. If you're interested, we'll let you know what we find.

Subject: RE: 50th and last Sidmouth festival?
From: GUEST
Date: 20 Jul 04 - 08:05 AM

These links may help with camping near Sidmouth

garden camping near sidmouth

sidmouth accommodation

Subject: RE: 50th and last Sidmouth festival?
From: Scooby Doo
Date: 20 Jul 04 - 08:49 AM

Thanks for that info Dave,it was interesting to read especially as i know Ken Stevens so well.I must give him a bell.

Subject: RE: 50th and last Sidmouth festival?
From: *Laura*
Date: 20 Jul 04 - 04:08 PM

"It's in the wrong place. It's a pain in the neck for most people to get to"

It's not a pain in the neck for ME to get to! ANd lots of other people too. it's not in the wrong place - you are! Move to Devon if you're that concerned - cos Sidmouth ain't moving!

But I have to agree about the campsite - bollocks.

Laura xx

Subject: RE: 50th and last Sidmouth festival?
From: Dave Bryant
Date: 21 Jul 04 - 05:48 AM

Linda and I have managed to find room on a site at Harpford - just along towards Newton Poppleford from the Bowd. We shoud therefore be arriving Monday afternoon.

Subject: RE: 50th and last Sidmouth festival?
From: Liam's Brother
Date: 21 Jul 04 - 06:10 AM

Looking forward to Sidmouth and hope there'll be a 51st.

Bob Conroy and Dan Milner will there 2 days.

Our schedule looks like this:

Saturday, 31 July
1430 - Ham Marquee - Concert with Doghouse Skiffle and Johnson Girls
1815 - Arts Centre - Concert "Port of New York" with Johnson Girls

Sunday, 1 August
1000 - Arts Centre - Talk "Irish Maritime Songs from 19th Century New York"
1715 - St Teresas - Guitar & Banjo Alternate Tunings w/ Martin Carthy
2030 - Volunteer Inn - "Evening of Song" w/ Bob Davenport, Roisin White, Rosie Stewart, Dan Quinn, Will Duke and Mary McNamara

We look forward to seeing any and all old Mudcat friends.

All the best,
Dan

Subject: RE: 50th and last Sidmouth festival?
From: Kevin Sheils
Date: 21 Jul 04 - 12:57 PM

Hi LB

I'm introducing your 18.15 Saturday event and looking forward to it. I remember enjoying the last time you were there with the JGs in the Rugby Club.

Subject: RE: 50th and last Sidmouth festival?
From: GUEST
Date: 22 Jul 04 - 04:33 PM

If I'd lost a lot of money in the down pour and needed to make sure that as many people came as possible to make up the short fall, I'd announce that this was the last festival, wouldn't you?

Subject: RE: 50th and last Sidmouth festival?
From: GUEST
Date: 22 Jul 04 - 04:54 PM

See you Kevin!

All the best,
Dan

Subject: RE: 50th and last Sidmouth festival?
From: Tattie Bogle
Date: 22 Jul 04 - 04:55 PM

What happened to the Rugby Club involvement in the Festival? It didn't seem to figure last year other than using the pitch as car park, and I don't see it on the list of venues for this year either.
TB

Subject: RE: 50th and last Sidmouth festival?
From: GUEST,Anne Croucher
Date: 22 Jul 04 - 10:51 PM

I was only at Sidmouth a couple of days last year and found a 'lets play tunes session' upstairs at the Rugby Club simply because I went to get a shower and someone was telling a friend about it - so much seems to be advertised by a board outside or found out just by happening to meet someone in the know - or half way doubtful.

Most of the time I get asked along by someone I have just met on the promenade, or told about another event at the end of another, or overhear the organiser of one event arranging to be at another - mobile phones are so useful that way.

Anne

Subject: RE: 50th and last Sidmouth festival?
From: Kevin Sheils
Date: 23 Jul 04 - 05:37 AM

Venues tend to come and go in the official festival, for various reasons, but as regular Sidmouth goers know, all sorts of sessions pop up at the fringes. And sometimes become official in later years, or vice versa.

Subject: RE: 50th and last Sidmouth festival?
From: Scooby Doo
Date: 23 Jul 04 - 01:30 PM

Just like too say to all the Mudcatters who will be at Sidders,enjoy yourself and let us all know how it all went.Due to my physical health i am unable to attend,but my thoughts are with you all and my memories of going to Sidders for 23 years will always be with me.
Safe journey and dont drink to much of the scrumpy.

Subject: RE: 50th and last Sidmouth festival?
From: Scooby Doo
Date: 24 Jul 04 - 12:23 PM

Subject: RE: 50th and last Sidmouth festival?
From: GUEST,JKL
Date: 10 Aug 04 - 03:13 PM

As a Sidmouth Trader I would like to refute some of the posts here regarding lack of trade support.

Quite a few businesses including my own are members of the Festival Patron Scheme.
The majority of other businesses suport it in kind by offering a very happy & enthusiatic welcome to the festival goers.

Most of the businesses in Sidmouth are individualy owned and run
so they do not make as has been intimated large sums of money 75% of them are on some kind of income support.
Also you probably dont realise that we are one of the most highly charged areas in UK regarding council & business tax, even higher than some London Boroughs, they do not put up there prices for the festival these are the same year round because it is so expensive to live in this area.

And by the way THERE WILL BE 2005 Festival see:http://www.sidmouthfestival.org.uk/

Subject: RE: 50th and last Sidmouth festival?
From: Herga Kitty
Date: 10 Aug 04 - 03:32 PM

JKL

Thanks - I know you've been a friend of the festival for many years, and that there will hopefully be a festival, not just a series of fringe events next year.

Kitty

Subject: RE: 50th and last Sidmouth festival?
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 10 Aug 04 - 04:34 PM

That "http://www.sidmouthfestival.org.uk/" link just won't work for me - neither in Firefox nor in Internet Explorer.

Best maybe to keep this discussion in the one thread which seems to be   51st Sidmouth festival

Subject: RE: 50th and last Sidmouth festival?
From: Scooby Doo
Date: 10 Aug 04 - 04:42 PM

it worked for me www.sidmouthfestival.org.uk

Subject: RE: 50th and last Sidmouth festival?
From: Tattie Bogle
Date: 11 Aug 04 - 08:08 PM

Worked for me too, tho' not a lot on it yet: what is there has aleady been quoted on one of the Sidmouth threads.

Subject: RE: 50th and last Sidmouth festival?
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 11 Aug 04 - 09:02 PM

I think it might be better to just have the one Sidmouth thread about the future of the festival, with the other for the reviews and comments. It gets confusing when they start multiplying, PEL style.

Subject: RE: 50th and last Sidmouth festival?
From: the lemonade lady
Date: 13 Aug 04 - 10:17 AM

I was standing in a queue at the HSBC in Sidmouth when a local person came in and declared that she was paying her council tax for the festival. She isn't at all happy with it. Most of the locals hate coming home from work only to find nowhere to park their cars, not even outside their own houses!

Did I sell lemonade? Words fail me.

Did I sing in the Middle Bar? Yes, but I couldn't stay in there for long because I had panic attacks and claustrophobia. It's my age, you know!

Swam in the sea tho' didn't we Schantieman... and visited Beer, along the coast, to watch the moon rise.

Sal

#8-)