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.
People in Somerset are being asked to take part in a new survey about alcohol use. Yeovil's MP Adam Dance will lead a debate in Parliament today on NHS dentistry. A Yeovil runner has been selected to represent England at a national endurance championship... and more
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
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
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
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
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.
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
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