Friday 26th September

Friday, 26 September 2025 06:00

By Steve Haigh

Lloyds Banking Group has announced that it is closing its Halifax branch in Yeovil. Avon and Somerset Chief Constable, Sarah Crew, is calling on the public to stand firm against hate. A helicopter from RNAS Yeovilton has been involved in tracking a Russian warship over the English Channel...and more.

Lloyds Banking Group has announced that it will be closing its Yeovil branch of The Halifax. Lloyds Bank, by the War Memorial on the High Street, will be unaffected by closures being made across the country. The Halifax will close on January 12th,2026.

Avon and Somerset Chief Constable, Sarah Crew, is calling on the public to stand firm against hate. She's a signatory to an open letter, also signed by council leaders, asking for calm, following an incident in which a 9-year-old girl was shot with an airgun in Bristol in a racially motivated attack. Sarah Crew says people are scared to go about their daily lives for fear of being attacked on the streets, which is not acceptable.

A helicopter from RNAS Yeovilton has been involved in tracking a Russian warship as it crossed the English Channel. The Wildcat was scrambled to support HMS Iron Duke in following the Russian vessel as part of a NATO-led operation last week.

Pharmacy chain Jhoots, which has unexpectedly shut all its outlets in Somerset, has been accused of failing to provide patients with their medication and not paying its staff. In a statement, Jhoots says it's actively engaging with staff, partners and other stakeholders. But one former employee in Somerset claims she's owed thousands of pounds in unpaid wages.

A key flood defence in Somerset could be upgraded to cut the risk of flooding at places further inland. The Somerset Rivers Authority wants to widen Highbridge Clyce as part of mitigation measures to reduce the flood risk upstream from the River Brue.

A carpenter from Somerset has been chosen to carry out repairs at Britain's scientific base in Antarctica. Jo Oliver from Wedmore is part of a team of tradespeople travelling to Antarctica to help 'future-proof' buildings at Port Lockroy against the effects of climate change.

More from News

Thursday 5th March

Two military helicopters from RNAS Yeovilton are being sent to Cyprus to help bolster UK’s defences amid the US-Israel war with Iran. Yeovil Town Council is seeking legal advice over the closure of the hyper acute stroke unit at Yeovil Hospital. Flood warnings have been lifted on the Somerset Levels... and more
Wednesday 4th March

A man has died in a fire in Wincanton. Somerset Council is planning further cuts of twenty-one million pounds to help balance its books. A campaign to raise £30,000 for a minibus has been launched in Chard... and more
Tuesday 3rd March

A woman from Ilminster has been jointly charged with another woman after a man’s body was found inside a car in Cornwall. Somerset businesses, involved in the supply chain for Leonardo, have welcomed the news that the Leonardo factory in Yeovil is to build new medium lift helicopters for the RAF. Plans have been submitted to build thirty-two homes in Milborne Port... and more
Monday 2nd March

The Leonardo factory in Yeovil has won a multi-million pound contract to build new medium lift helicopters for the RAF. A doctor, who previously worked at Yeovil Hospital, has appeared in court charged with illegally accessing NHS computers. A new Construction Innovation Centre has opened at Yeovil College... and more
Friday 27th February

The CEO of Leonardo has suggested the UK government could make an announcement immindently about ordering new medium lift helicopters to be built in Yeovil. A family run hardware business in Yeovil has gone into administration. The Lord Lieutenant of Somerset has been named the new patron of Somerset Chamber of Commerce... and more
Thursday 26th February

Workers at Leonardo in Yeovil have been to Downing Street to hand-in a petition calling on the government to back British jobs. The decision to grant planning permission to upgrade Yeovil's Octagon Theatre has been enthusiastically welcomed by staff who work there. The search is on to find a defibrillator that has gone missing in Chard... and more
Wednesday 25th February

Plans have been passed to carry out a £15 million upgrade of Yeovil’s Octagon Theatre. A new medical unit providing NHS and private treatments has opened in Shepton Mallet. Manor Court Community Primary School in Chard is celebrating after receiving a Gold Artsmark for excellence in arts and cultural education...and more
Tuesday 24th February

First Bus has announced changes to bus timetables on routes across Somerset. A Somerset drone company is celebrating getting through the audition round of ITV’s Britain's Got Talent. A public footpath in South Somerset is set to remain closed for up to two years... and more