Thursday 16th November

Thursday, 16 November 2023 06:00

By Steve Haigh

A campaign has been launched to save the Great Lyde pub in Yeovil from closure. New data has shown the South West is experiencing the biggest percentage increase in shoplifting of all English regions. Concern has been expressed that rural parts of Somerset are being left behind in the rollout of 5G connectivity...and more.

A campaign has been launched to save a Yeovil pub from closure. The Great Lyde on Lyde Road is trading as normal while advertised for sale. Regulars have started a petition calling for the pub to be kept open after it was revealed that plans have been submitted to change the building to a school for children with special educational needs.

New data has shown the South West is experiencing the biggest percentage increase in shoplifting of all English regions. It follows news that the government plans to have shoplifting treated like organised crime. Regional Secretary of the shop workers union, USDAW, Mike Walker, says shoplifting, coupled with abusive behaviour towards shop staff, is putting people off from working in retail. The government says it is planning to have shoplifting treated like organised crime.

Concern has been expressed that rural parts of Somerset are being left behind in the roll-out of 5G connectivity. Research has shown that urban areas in the South West are having 5G introduced far quicker than rural places. Somerton and Frome MP Sarah Dyke says for far too long rural communities have been left behind when it comes to digital connectivity. She’s calling for a quick resolution to what she describes as the ‘digital divide’ that exists between city and rural areas in the South West.

A holiday park in Crewkerne has won a top regional tourism award. Peckmoor Farm Lodges was crowned Best Small Lodge Escape destination in Devon, Somerset & Dorset in the UK Staycation Awards.

Young gymnasts at Herne View Primary School in Ilminster have had the opportunity to meet and train with an international gymnast. Kelly Simm, who won gold as part of Team England at the 2022 Commonwealth Games, put the children through their paces, providing tips to the young gymnasts, during a visit to the school sponsored by Premier Education of Taunton.

More from News

Thursday 30th October

Bird flu has been found at a nature reserve in Somerset, closing part of it down. St Margaret’s Hospice in Somerset is calling for the hospice sector to be given more central funding. The Barrington Boar in Barrington has been placed 12th in The Good Food Guide’s list of 100 best pubs in Britain... and more
Wednesday 29th October

Police are investigating a suspected arson attack on a mobile home near Yeovil. Somerset Council is suggesting people turn their pumpkins into soup this Halloween. People in Yeovil have until Sunday to comment on controversial plans to sell off four car parks in the town centre... and more.
Tuesday 28th October

Plans have been submitted to build 12 new homes in Chard. A nursery in Yeovil has been rated ‘overall good' by Ofsted. A Somerset mortgage broker has achieved national recognition. A stretch of the M5 at Wellington will be shut every night this week...and more
Monday 27th October

The Unite union has announced four days of strikes by its members at Leonardo in Yeovil. One of Yeovil’s busiest roads is closed to traffic today. Staff at the Ferne Animal Sanctuary near Chard raised £3,000 taking part in a Sleeping Ruff challenge at the weekend...and more
Friday 24th October

New figures show that 500 young people were either injured or killed on roads in Somerset and Devon last year. The Old School Community Centre in Queen Camel has reopened, thanks to a donation of £10,000 from Somerset Freemasons. Two Fleet Air Arm engineers based at RNAS Yeovilton have recreated a family moment from 26 years ago...and more
Thursday 23rd October

Yeovil-born actress Sarah Parish is supporting efforts to reopen the Octagon theatre. Mobility scooter campaigners in Somerset have welcomed a government review of the legislation governing the use of mobility scooters on public highways. Changes are being made to the dates when garden waste is collected in Somerset...and more
Wednesday 22nd October

A major house builder in the South West says government targets for new house building in Somerset are 'unrealistic'. Pizza Hut is closing its restaurant in Yeovil. Staff at the Ferne Animal Sanctuary near Chard will be taking part in a ‘Sleeping Ruff’ challenge tomorrow...and more .
Tuesday 21st October

Reckleford in Yeovil is to shut for 15 days for essential drainage works. Somerset NHS Foundation Trust has paid out compensation of £23 million for claims related to birth injuries. A Grade II listed building in Glastonbury has been converted into a health and wellbeing centre...and more