Local News Friday 28th July

Friday, 28 July 2023 06:00

By Steve Haigh

A local man has been given a four-month suspended prison sentence and a one-year driving ban after being found guilty of causing death by careless driving. The go-ahead has been given to convert a former pub in Chard into a guesthouse. The South West is one of the most competitive regions in England for renting a home...and more.

A Merriott man, found guilty of causing death by careless driving, has been given a four-month suspended prison sentence and a one-year driving ban. Christopher Banke was appearing for sentencing at Bournemouth Crown Court after earlier being found guilty of causing the death of motorcyclist, Adrian Saunders, on the A3066 at Beaminster in October 2021. Banke, who had pleaded not guilty to the careless driving charge, was ordered to pay court costs of three-and-a-half thousand pounds.

People are being encouraged to book their holiday accommodation and tourist attractions in Somerset using a new app called the Somerset Reward Card. It's to avoid commissions being paid to online travel agents and offers rewards to those who use it.

The go-ahead has been given to convert a former pub in Chard into a guesthouse. The Golden Fleece on Perry Street closed in 2020 due to poor sales. Somerset Council’s approved the change of use subject to the character of the building being retained.

The RSPCA says there were three-hundred-and-sixty reports of cat cruelty in Somerset last year. Nationally, the number is almost eighteen thousand.

The South West is one of the most competitive regions in England for the housing rental market, according to the property website Rightmove. Its figures suggest average requests for viewings per rental property stands at twenty-seven in our area.

Details have been announced of this year’s Ham Hill Dog Show. The event was cancelled last year due to the death of the Queen and takes place on Sunday, August 13th. All monies raised will go to the Ferne Animal Sanctuary near Chard and the Friends of Ham Hill.

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