There’s anger about the lack of council support for a major jazz festival hosted in an East Devon town The Sidmouth International Jazz & Blues Festival which returns for its fourth year later this month and has hit acts including Gabrielle Curtis Stigers and Soul II Soul on its line-up secures the majority of its support from private donors and the town council But the amount of support being offered by East Devon District Council is now being questioned given the size of the event and the benefits it brings to the area The council said it remained in “constructive dialogue” with the organisers and that it had tried to help minimise some fees and provided guidance on grants said he had asked the district council if it would be able to reduce its £2,600 hire fee for Blackmore Gardens He said the council had not offered to reduce the fee for the festival in spite of it “ticking all the cultural and economic boxes” the climate is so hard for festivals and so many are being postponed or even not going ahead and so it felt important to try and ask East Devon again to see if they could help us,” he said “We certainly tick all the cultural and economic benefit boxes as thousands of people come to the town from across the wider region and from further afield “But despite all the evidence we put forward we simply have not had a positive response.” who is also the festival director of the Rye International Jazz & Blues Festival in East Sussex said reducing the hire fee would be a way for the council to support culture and the arts “in line with the strategy it created two years ago” “It takes about five to six years to bed something like this festival in and we’re trying to create a legacy but festivals need help at the beginning and early point in their cycle,” he said but it seems to me that bureaucracy is getting in the way and there is no clear thinking.” who represents Sidmouth on East Devon District Council raised the issue at this week’s cabinet meeting (Wednesday 30 April) but was told he would get a written answer in the coming days because relevant officers were on holiday “The district council wants to attract festivals with a different good quality line-up to attract people into the area especially in the so-called shoulder season either side of the main summer time,” he said and it is organised as a not-for-profit event so anything earned goes right back into the town.” Cllr Barlow said the much smaller town council supported the festival to the tune of £20,000 because the “benefit to the town and its local businesses is far greater than that” thanks to the festival He added that the festival chimed with the district council’s cultural strategy and that he worried what signal it could send to other potential event organisers but it is the signal it sends to businesses and individuals who are putting these things on,” he added East Devon’s 2025-2031 Cultural Strategy document references as one of its objectives to work with “independent promoters and local destination marketing organisations to maximise impact from notable events and festivals with particular focus on those that take place in June/early July and September/ October (i.e An East Devon District Council spokesperson said it recognised the “value and popularity” of the festival and that it “reflects many of the goals of our cultural strategy” including reaching diverse audiences and boosting the local economy “While we are always keen to support events that deliver cultural social and economic benefits to our communities we must also ensure that public funds are allocated fairly and transparently,” the spokesperson said “Any request for financial assistance or a fee reduction is therefore subject to careful review Sidmouth equalise in injury-time to force spot-kick at Crediton NEWQUAY came within seconds of collecting more silverware on Saturday – before a last-gasp Sidmouth equaliser forced a penalty shootout which the Devon side went on to win. In the battle of the SWPL’s East and West champions on a warm afternoon at Crediton, the Peppermints led through a controversial 48th minute Louis Price penalty as six minutes of time added on was indicated. Shaun Middleton’s side looked to have survived a tense finale as the clock clicked into the last seconds but a long throw-in from the left saw Billy Spurway find a yard of space to head into the net from six yards. Before referee Will Annear had the chance to restart the game, he sin-binned a dissenting Jack Bray-Evans. To make matters worse, Sidmouth keeper Aaron Dearing then saved the first two Newquay penalties from Cam Turner and Ross Fallens. Sidmouth scored their opening three to lead 3-0, and although Price got one back with Newquay’s third penalty and Brodie Cole saved from Craig Veal, Louis Jagger-Cane’s successful spot-kick sealed the deal. Middleton said: “It was a good game against a very strong team. I thought we weren’t at our finest but as we have done all season we showed real heart, togetherness and true spirit, so I am really proud of them all. “It was unfortunate to concede a goal in the 98th minute, which was a tough one to take, but we move on and look to progress next season which I am really excited about.” It had been an entertaining game with chances for both sides in a goalless first half. Louis Spalding had a glorious opportunity after only four minutes but couldn’t beat Cole in one-on-one. The Peppermints responded in the 11th minute with Jacob Grange going on a mazy run across the penalty area before unleashing a superb left foot shot which brought a brilliant save out of Dearing. Two minutes later Grange seemed certain to score with a close range header, but Matt Webb got in a brilliant block. Cole then made two saves in a minute as an end-to-end opening 20 minutes somehow failed to produce a breakthrough, and more heroics from the keeper sent the teams in at half-time goalless. But the deadlock was broken three minutes after the break as Grange swung in a corner from the right and referee Will Annear pointed to the penalty spot, claiming to have seen a Sidmouth arm stop a Newquay shot. Price, who had been presented with the SWPL’s Golden Boot trophy before the match, dispatched the penalty to give Newquay the lead. Sidmouth came within inches of an equaliser after 67 minutes as a Spalding cross from the right just evaded an unmarked Luke Mortimore on the far post. Four minutes later Jagger-Cane was denied by another Cole save, and the Devon side continued to have half chances but Newquay looked to have ridden the storm before the late, late equaliser. NEWQUAY: Brodie Cole, Jamie Edlin, Tom Moxham, Cam Turner, Harry Downing (capt), Lucas Potts (Ross Fallens, 62), Callam McOnie, Aaron Dilley (Alex Cole, 65), Jack Bray-Evans, Jacob Grange (Dan Carne, 65), Louis Price. Subs not used: Johan Allen, Josh Evans. Comments [email protected]Further Links Owned or licensed to Tindle Newspapers Ltd | Independent Family-Owned Newspapers | Copyright & Trade Mark Notice & 2013 - 2025