More than five thousand driving tests in Somerset have been cancelled in the past year due to the pandemic. The chair of one of Somerset’s leading carnival clubs says he's not surprised the Guy Fawkes County Carnival circuit has been postponed for this year. Plans have been submitted to convert a town centre hotel in Yeovil into flats....and more.
More than five thousand driving tests in Somerset have been cancelled in the past year due to the pandemic. Figures released by the DVSA also show that students re-booking a test in Yeovil are facing a huge wait.
The chair of one of Somerset’s leading carnival clubs says he's not surprised the Guy Fawkes County Carnival circuit has been postponed for this year. It's the second year the circuit won't be going ahead due to Coronavirus. Steve Dawe is Chairman of Harlequins Carnival Club and says the cancellation was inevitable.
An Ilminster man has been banned from driving for a year and fined £375 for driving while under the influence of drugs. Adam Farrance of Springfield in Ilminster pleaded guilty to the offence at Yeovil Magistrates Court.
Plans have been submitted to convert a town centre hotel in Yeovil into flats. The Terrace Lodge Hotel on South Western Terrace would be turned into 14 units if South Somerset District Council approves the change of use. Meanwhile, plans have been submitted to convert the former village library building on North Street in Milborne Port into a hairdressing salon.
A wooden shed has been destroyed by fire in Castle Cary. It happened in Maggs Lane on Monday night. The cause is believed to be accidental.
A fitness group in Yeovil has raised almost £4,000 for charity. Members of Squats & Tots completed different fitness challenges during the pandemic. The money is being donated to the Ronald McDonald House Charity.
Radio Ninesprings Local News is compiled and edited by our Station Manager Steve Haigh
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Wessex Water says a hosepipe ban is possible if customers fail to cut their water usage. A record number of illegal dog fights were reported in Somerset last year. Yeovil Town's Mason Obeng has won the traditional sack of potatoes, given to the player who scores Yeovil's first goal of the new season, as a lucky omen... and more
A local councillor claims anti-social behaviour is putting people off coming into Yeovil town centre. South-West Water has announced a hosepipe ban in the Chard area. Great Western Railway has apologised after a wheelchair user from Chard became stuck at one of its stations... and more
Chard's biggest employer, Numatic International, makers of the Henry vacuum cleaner, has announced job cuts. A new Neighbourhood Plan for Hatch Beauchamp has officially been adopted. Two historic artefacts taken from Glastonbury Abbey more than 70 years ago have been returned...and more
A local man and convicted former neo-Nazi, selected by the Conservatives to stand in Crewkerne South in next year’s local elections for a seat on Somerset Council, has pulled out after a backlash against his candidacy. A charity that runs children's homes in Somerset is terminating its contract early following a critical report by Ofsted...and more
Avon and Somerset's Police and Crime Commissioner is backing the wider use of police drones in towns like Yeovil to help tackle crime. Visitor numbers at Somerset's tourist attractions are down by around sixty per cent so far this year. A gardening expert says it'll take much more than the occasional shower to revive Somerset's parched lawns, parks and open spaces...and more
A Somerset doctor is calling for better community eye care. People in Glastonbury and Street are benefiting from a new bus service to Castle Cary railway station. A sailor from South Petherton is celebrating after sailing around the world... and more
A yellow Heat Health Alert is in force across Somerset today. The swimming and leisure centre in Street remains closed following last Thursday's flooding in the plant room. Plans for a new primary school in Chard have been delayed until at least 2030... and more