Monday 10th November

Monday, 10 November 2025 06:00

By Steve Haigh

It’s claimed Somerset Council has lost nearly £5 million selling the Marks and Spencer building in Yeovil. A car has been set on fire in a suspected arson attack in Shepton Mallet. A Crewkerne man says night-time noise from the town's Waitrose store is causing him and his family "sleep disturbance" ... and more.

It’s claimed Somerset Council has lost nearly £5 million selling the Marks and Spencer building in Yeovil. The former South Somerset District Council purchased the site on Middle Street for £7.65 million in 2017. Ownership was transferred to Somerset Council upon the closure of SSDC in 2023. Leader of the Conservative opposition group at Somerset Council, Councillor Diogo Rodrigues, claims Somerset Council has sold the Marks and Spencer building for £2.8m, representing a loss of £4.85m. Latest figures show that in 2024, Somerset Council sold properties for £76m that had originally cost £104m to purchase, resulting in a loss of £28 m.

A car has been set on fire in a suspected arson attack in Shepton Mallet. The incident occurred on Bruton Road in the early hours of Saturday. Police say the vehicle was completely burnt out.

Farmers and poultry producers in Somerset have been advised to move their birds indoors to help combat the spread of avian flu. The RSPB says its site at Ham Wall, near Glastonbury, remains closed. A former government adviser, Professor Ian Brown, says this year’s strain of the virus could be the most infectious yet.

Police have charged a second man with attempted murder after a gun was fired on the Lufton trading estate in Yeovil. James McGuinness, aged 30, has already appeared in court charged with attempted murder. Police say a second man, Junior Renford, aged 33, from Charlton in London, has also been charged with attempted murder. He’s due to appear at Taunton Crown Court on November 17th.

A Crewkerne man says noise from the town's Waitrose store is causing him and his family "sleep disturbance". Brian Noer, who lives on Bryants Row in Crewkerne, claims night-time operations at the store, including moving metal cages, unloading lorries, and ongoing refurbishment works, have led to his family suffering mental and physical distress. The environmental health department at Somerset Council is now investigating Mr Noer’s complaint.

More from News

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