Plans to downsize a popular street festival have dismayed visitors.

Up to 100,000 people attend the Streets of Brighton weekend each May, attracted by the 100-strong line-up of eccentric performers who wander freely around the North Laine.

Readers of The Argus have slammed the event's organisers, Zap Art, for their decision to scale down their programme to just 20 acts performing at fixed times.

A spokeswoman for Zap Art said the aim was to produce a higher quality programme than previous years, when too many artists have been competing for attention and resources have been spread too thinly.

But reader Simon Baker described the charity's argument as "utter rubbish".

He said: "Undoubtedly the most fun and unique thing about this festival now largely ruined."

Many visitors to our website have taken umbrage at the charity's view that its priority is to develop street artists rather than provide free street entertainment.

Rose Amesbury said: "I thought the festival was for the audience. A bit of wandering zany surprise is good in an otherwise structured festival time."

Neil, of Hove, said: "This was the only bit of the festival I ever used to see. At least now we know this is only for the benefit of street performers not the people of Brighton."

Andy, of Brighton, agreed: "How boring. Among a huge programme of structured - albeit worthwhile - acts at festival time, the one concession to free, fun expression has been sanitised. Because there's too much competition for the artists? Is that really the point of it all? Ridiculous."

Annie, also Brighton, said the festival's "haphazard and fun-loving" audience would not be impressed by the changes.

She said: "Are the organisers hoping that those of us who will miss all of this will suddenly change our tastes and buy expensive tickets for shows instead?"

Another critic, Neil, said: "This will make the festival much worse - fewer acts means more of a scramble to see them.

"The total number of people watching is going to fall. Shame, it was the best and most accessible part of the festival."

Performers from The Comic Character Creations Co, whose acts include rich beggars, spacemen and a pregnant man, are among those missing from this year's programme. But the thatre company's spokeswoman, Natasha Bolonkin, said street performers would welcome the changes.

She said: "It was wall-to-wall people last year and I don't think any of the acts got a good showing. This will enable street performers to be seen how they should be seen. It can only make for better street theatre in the long term, although in the short-term it will be a shame to lose that carnival atmosphere."

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