Local News Tuesday 16th May

Tuesday, 16 May 2023 07:00

By Steve Haigh

The new owner of Yeovil Town, Martin Hellier, says his purchase of the club includes the right to buy back Huish Park and the surrounding land from Somerset Council. A new five million pound operating theatre has opened at Yeovil Hospital. Plans have been submitted to convert the former village shop in East Coker into a house....and more.

The new owner of Yeovil Town, Martin Hellier, has been speaking about his plans to return The Glovers to winning ways. He’s confirmed that manager, Mark Cooper will remain in post with the task of getting Yeovil back into the National League. Mr Hellier also comfirmed that his purchase includes the right to buy back Huish Park and the surrounding land that is currently in the ownership of Somerset Council.

April saw another increase in business performance in the South West including here in Somerset. According to the NatWest Business Activity Index, the combined output of the region’s manufacturing and service sectors rose from 50.6 percent in March to 52.9 percent in April. It was the third successive monthly expansion in output since the start of the year.

Yeovil Hospital says a new five million pound operating theatre that opened this week is helping to reduce waiting times. The new facility is being used to perform procedures that include breast surgery and dermatology, where patients are allowed home on the same day they have their operations.

GWR, who run trains through Castle Cary and Bruton stations, are to ban E-scooters from their trains, amid concerns they pose a fire risk. Up until now, passengers have been allowed to take E-scooters onto trains, provided they are folded and put on the floor. The ban, that will take affect from Sunday May 21st follows incidents in which lithium batteries that power E-scooters overheated, leading to a risk of fire.

This week marks national ‘Water Saving Week’ with local supplier, Wessex Water, asking people to be sparing using water in the home and garden. Wessex Water says only if more people adopt water saving measures like using a water butt to collect rainwater can they be confident of keeping everyone fully supplied this summer.

Plans have been submitted for a change of use on the former village shop in East Coker. The owners want to combine the premises with their house – Hollyhock Cottage – which is next door. The village shop in East Coker, that at one time included a Post Office, closed in 2015.

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Friday 12th June

It's claimed the increasing availability of drugs such as ketamine and cocaine has normalised drug use among young people in Somerset. The trial of a man accused of killing his one-month-old son in Chard begins today at Bristol Crown Court. A stone pillar outside the Langport Arms Hotel in Langport has been replaced after it was destroyed in a car crash... and more
Thursday 11th June

Sir Keir Starmer has paid tribute to the three aircrew from RNAS Yeovilton who died in last week's helicopter crash in Devon. Two men have been arrested and stolen vehicles seized following a major multi-agency operation in South Somerset. An event highlighting opportunities for women in the aerospace industry has been held in Yeovil... and more
Wednesday 10th June

The public will be consulted on how best to spend fifty million pounds of government funding to tackle flooding in Somerset. Avon and Somerset Police are backing a new road safety campaign aimed at reducing motorcycle fatalities. New welcome signs have been installed at entrances to the Mendip Hills National Landscape... and more
Tuesday 9th June

The government has announced a £50 million investment to strengthen Somerset’s flood defences. A woman from Stoke-sub-Hamdon has been banned from driving for 14 months after admitting drink-driving. Somerset Council has been told it must improve its adult social care services... and more
Monday 8th June

Plans for a new railway station in Langport remain stalled in Whitehall, according to Somerset Council. Plans to build 50 new homes in Broadway, near Ilminster, have been refused. The new water fountains in Yeovil’s Triangle, in Lower Middle Street, are being switched off during very hot weather because of safety concerns... and more.
Friday 5th June

A new NHS dental practice in Crewkerne says it won’t start operating at full capacity until July due to staff shortages. Somerset Council says it has no plans to show England matches in the World Cup on the Big Screen in Yeovil town centre due to safety concerns. A Somerset family has been thanked after completing a 73-mile walk raising money for a third world charity... and more
Thursday 4th June

An investigation continues today into the crash of a Royal Navy helicopter, based at RNAS Yeovilton, in which all three aircrew were killed. Somerset Council has confirmed that a new operator will take over several leisure centres across the county. The new live-action Masters of the Universe movie, filmed in Somerset, is released this week...and more
Wednesday 3rd June

A Yeovil man has appeared in court charged with assaulting three police officers. Somerset Council has begun legal action to recover more than £320,000 owed by housing developers. The line-up has been announced for this year’s Ilminster Midsummer Experience...and more