I can't say I was very impressed when I read that a Torquay-based brewery had been invited to open a bar within the Community Cafe/ Memory Cafe (what is it known as now?) during the music festival.

Would it have been too much for them to ask Dartmouth pubs to get together and run a joint Licensed Victuallers Association bar – not that the LVA does anything any more apart from talk about plastic glasses twice a year?

It's a bit of a cheek after the festival organisers asked the pubs for a minimum of £50 to have a single line in the festival programme to showcase our expensive acts that we, not the music festival, pay for.  

In November, I was asked to sit in on a music festival meeting. The committee was keen to get the pubs in the town to support the festival this year with their advertising fees and sponsorship.

Surely this latest decision will not impress other publicans who were thinking of paying up to £400 for gold sponsorship, a 'chufty' badge and a cheap glass of wine while listening to some wags.

During regatta week, I see an increased number of outside bars turning up in between the cheapjacks to 'reap the benefits' of Johnny Chick's dross cider and burger week.

Festival committees, please listen. We can do it ourselves and save them the ferry fare!

The Dolphin will not be advertising in this year's music festival programme, we'll spend the £50 on half a quality local band. We will produce our own festival programme and, just like last year, do our own T-shirts to boot.

Rant over.