Devizes Festival is smash hit (From The Wiltshire Gazette and Herald)

Devizes Festival is smash hit

6:00pm Thursday 12th July 2012 in News By Lewis Cowen

Devizes Festival 2012 was one of the most successful yet, despite fewer events being booked than in previous years.

Visits by broadcaster John Humphrys, cricket commentator Henry Blofeld, former poet laureate Andrew Motion, clouds lover Gavin Pretor-Pinney and comedian Henning Wehn were all sell-outs.

There was controversy as well, with the Café Scientifique debate on GM foods and Chris Larner’s electrifying An Instinct for Kindness, about his wife’s last journey to the Dignitas clinic in Switzerland.

Other big hits included Eve Loiseau singing the songs of Edith Piaf, blues singer Mud Morganfield performing his dad, Muddy Waters’, repertoire, and the museum lecture on the work of artist Eric Ravilious.

Festival committee chairman Jenny Groom was overjoyed at the success of this year’s programme. She said: “Ticket sales boomed from the start and in the end we sold more than 3,200 tickets, the highest since 2007, when some 3,500 tickets were sold.

“However, in 2007 we ran 31 events, whereas this year it was 24. I think we can deduce it was a very appealing programme.

“One development of which we are proud is how this year’s programme has reached out to new audiences. It was good to see new faces come to the different events.

“Even the fringe events were virtually standing room only. Tim Moorey’s talk on Dr Johnson drew in more than 75 people and the various music gigs at The Lamb, the Hare and Hounds, the Cellar Bar at The Bear and The Southgate were all amazingly well attended.

“I think its fair to say that the committee is on a high.”