“Apparently this festival has now been moved to Hampshire as they couldn't get the go ahead in the South Hams. Real shame this has happened, the area is missing out on a great opportunity...”

“I completely agree with misskelley. Live and let live. This festival presents an abundance of opportunities for everyone within our local community to truly get stuck into. It is a wonderful chance for smaller and larger communities and companies/businesses to expand and meet new people, whilst ultimately having fun and coming up with some fresh, new ideas. In the socially and financially stifling world in which we are currently living, what harm is this truly going to do? I say life is for living, and far too many people seem to concern themselves with how others are living theirs, whilst letting all the good things pass them by. Devon is about close communities, and friendships, but also about fun, and I like to think that we are all open minded enough to see a good venture and support it together, giving not only our generation, but also the next, something to look forward to and enjoy as much as many have done before.”

“we live in a give and take world, quite like the sound of this :)”

“Dear Janner02 - I am really sad that you feel like that especially as you have your facts so wrong - we are in fact both West Country people with my father being born and buried within 20 miles and my mother being Cornish. You are right however that I occasionally work in London - for exactly the reasons that you refer - no jobs - but as a result we are able to support the community by spending money in the local economy helping to support any jobs that exist and we are in the process of setting up another Devon based business which will also create ongoing work opportunites. As to stealing your homes ..............we paid for ours!

I would also ask you to bear in mind that your freind Tim Massey is relying on his experience of being involved with a concert for Nelson Mandela - where - in London!! So you are happy to use the London connection when it suits.

Regardless - all we want is the facts - no-one is trying to say yes or no - we need information. I understand that the Parish Meeting last evening the sentiment of the 'local's was loud and clear - additionally the Police have confirmed that they do not have the resource to support such an Event - a fact that does not seem to have been given any 'air time'.”

“More Londoners taking over & turning OUR home into a bloody bear garden!

Bad enough they all move down here & steal our housing & jobs, now we have to suffer their idea of what is good for us, obviously we have failed abjectly in this respect previously & need the big people of London to show us the error of our ways! NOT!!!!!!!”

“Mr Massey - please forgive me - I live within 1/2 mile of the proposed site and the first I learnt about the proposed Event was the day before the notices were posted on the Hedge - is that really what you consider to be consultation? We are a stakeholder in this too. It is also intereresting that nobody has discussed this with the residents of Hutcherleigh, Millcombe, East Allington, Blackawton or Abbnotsleigh.

Additionally, your operating statement is a 10 page document that details what you need to do -it does not detail how you intend to do it and that all needs to be written down and available to all. If you have the detailed information then that should form part of the Licencing Application ( as I believe and will be taking advice that your current application may be invalid)

I am however delighted to see that it is intended to bring great benefits to the community - perhaps you would be able to articulate and quantify those so that we are all able to make our own decisions as to whether the benefits outweigh the downsides of such an event.

When you have properly provided the information to the effected people then people can make their decisions as to whether to object to your proposals or not. Thank you”

“I note DK Parker's concerns. We have been totally open throughout what has already been a six month consultation process and we have done everything the respective authorities have asked of us and more. We have put in an application together with a full operating schedule to South Hams District Council. We continue to consult with South Hams District Council, the Devon & Cornwall Police, English Nature & Devon Highways.

We have nothing to hide. We are absolutely going to cap numbers at this year's festival at 4,999. We have very comprehensive security, health and safety, traffic and environmental plans being put in place and are very happy to share the detailed information in that process with anyone who wants to know about the ins and outs of it (our contact details can be found on http://tinyurl.com/6toxtb9).

Our meeting on 21 February at the Blackawton village hall is aimed mostly at getting local people involved (volunteering opportunities, arts and crafts input etc), but we will also be explaining our plans for the festival. We will also be doing this tonight through the appropriate democratic channel of Blackawton Parish Council. This is a festival by the community which will bring great benefits to the community and so far we have had a great reaction and lots of offers of support. Tim Massey”

“It is disappointing that Mr Massey and Caroline Murray of Larcombe Farm (the Landowner) have chosen not to consult with residents properly and that the date of the meeting that is referred to is only one week before objections need to be lodged to the Licence Application.

A Licence Application was made last week for 9,999 people and not the 5,000 that is referred to in the article above. It is also an Application that confirms this as being an annual four day event - not a one off event that people might be more minded to support if the proper precautions were taken. Furthermore there is no detail as to how things like Public Nuisance will be prevented - such as noise pollution [the application even confirms that the Environmental Health guidance will be breached] or traffic congestion on a 2 mile stretch of predominantly single lane road not to mention how Prevention of Crime and Disorder will be manged in an environment fuelled with alcohol and potentially other substances!

As noted above Mr Massey is pre-selling tickets from tomorrow despite the fact that no Licence is in place and that no proper consultation or detailed information has been provided to those most effected.

As a neighbour I would encourage the team to provide a proper written application dealing properly with the issues that occur from such events and also confirm their intentions for future years. Once a proper application is in the public domain then those effected can have a proper discussion as to whether or not an event like this should be permitted.

It is however difficult to see how such an event sits comfortably with the aims and objectives of an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty and this is something that should be preserved at all costs.”