Local News Wednesday 10th May

Tuesday, 9 May 2023 19:16

By Steve Haigh

A major incident has been declared with people evacuated from their homes following flash flooding in parts of South Somerset. A Somerset pharmacist is questioning whether chemist shops should be asked to prescribe medicines for common health conditions. One of Chard’s most important historic buildings has been saved for the nation. The public toilets at the Ilminster recreation ground have again been vandalised...and more.

A major incident has been declared with people evacuated from their homes following flash flooding in parts of South Somerset. The worst affected areas are Queen Camel, North and South Cadbury and Galhampton. Some roads are blocked with drivers asked not to drive through flooded roads. The Environment Agency is advising homeowners to take all necessary precautions to protect their homes from flooding in the affected areas.

A Somerset pharmacist is questioning asking chemist shops to prescribe medicines for common health conditions. The government is planning to introduce the new measure to free up millions of GP appointments. Mike Hewitson, a chemist in Norton-Sub-Hamdon near Yeovil, says pharmacists are already over-worked and that it may not be such a good idea.

One of Chard’s most important historic buildings has been saved for posterity. The Old Courthouse on Fore Street has been acquired by Somerset Council and leased to the Somerset Building Preservation Trust which will now restore the property. The Old Courthouse is a Grade-I listed building dating from the late sixteenth century and retains many original features including a first-floor courtroom with a barrel-vaulted ceiling.

The next phase of dualling the A303 between the Podimore and Sparkford roundabouts starts later this month. A 30 mph speed limit will be in place with some sections of the new road brought into use while the work is being carried out. The new dual carriage is scheduled to open by mid-2024.

Developers wanting to convert the former White Horse Hotel in Wincanton say the "at risk" status on the building is delaying work on the project. Planning permission has been granted to turn the property into a shop and flats but the architect, Stuart Hall, says they can’t make progress until the “at risk” status has been removed.

The public toilets at the Ilminster recreation ground have again been vandalised. A ceiling was damaged, a window smashed, a picnic bench broken, and signs ripped off in the skate park area. Police are asking anyone with information to please call the non-emergency number 101.

A pub in Crewkerne has been put-up for sale. The Royal Oak, in Hermitage Street, has been closed for a time and is in need of restoration. The freehouse, which is close to the town centre, is on the market at three hundred and ninety thousand pounds.

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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