Thursday 1st May

Thursday, 1 May 2025 06:00

By Steve Haigh

There’s been a call for the Somerset Levels to be designated a National Landscape. A Yeovil man has raised £2,000 for a new school minibus at Fairmead School in Yeovil by running the London Marathon. Exmoor Ales, which provides cask ales across the region and beyond, is closing its Somerset brewery and moving the business to Surrey...and more.

There’s been a call for the Somerset Levels to be designated a National Landscape, previously known as an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. Somerset is home to four national landscapes: the Blackdown Hills, the Mendip Hills, the Quantock Hills, and Exmoor National Park. Councillor Henry Hobhouse, who represents Castle Cary on Somerset Council, believes Somerset deserves a fifth national landscape, arguing it will protect the Levels' historic character.

An Ilminster mother says Somerset Council has left her teenage daughter " in limbo." Kelly’s daughter has special educational needs and undertakes supported employment at Silver Lining’s café in Ilminster. Silver Linings says because Somerset Council has delayed issuing the paperwork, Kelly’s daughter can no longer work at the cafe.

Exmoor Ales, which provides cask ales across the region and beyond, is closing its Somerset brewery and moving the business to Surrey. MD Jonathan Price says this is to protect the long-term viability of the business following a drop in sales.

A Yeovil man has raised £2,000 for a new school minibus by running the London Marathon. Warren Morgan’s daughter attends Fairmead School in Yeovil, to whom the £2,000 will be donated.

A shop in Henstridge is helping parents who struggle to buy items for their children. The Honesty Jar lets people pick up items such as school uniforms in return for donating things that they want to get rid of.

A new café has opened at the Ferne Animal Sanctuary near Chard. ‘Perdida is a Latin American fusion café located in the redesigned conference room.

Somerset Day is Saturday, May 10th, and Sunday, May 11th. As part of celebrating all that’s best about Somerset through cider and cheese trails, children’s storytelling, and village fetes, the highlight of the two-day event will be a performance on Saturday by the Wurzels at Rich’s Cider Farm in Watchfield.

More from News

Friday 27th February

The CEO of Leonardo has suggested the UK government could make an announcement immindently about ordering new medium lift helicopters to be built in Yeovil. A family run hardware business in Yeovil has gone into administration. The Lord Lieutenant of Somerset has been named the new patron of Somerset Chamber of Commerce... and more
Thursday 26th February

Workers at Leonardo in Yeovil have been to Downing Street to hand-in a petition calling on the government to back British jobs. The decision to grant planning permission to upgrade Yeovil's Octagon Theatre has been enthusiastically welcomed by staff who work there. The search is on to find a defibrillator that has gone missing in Chard... and more
Wednesday 25th February

Plans have been passed to carry out a £15 million upgrade of Yeovil’s Octagon Theatre. A new medical unit providing NHS and private treatments has opened in Shepton Mallet. Manor Court Community Primary School in Chard is celebrating after receiving a Gold Artsmark for excellence in arts and cultural education...and more
Tuesday 24th February

First Bus has announced changes to bus timetables on routes across Somerset. A Somerset drone company is celebrating getting through the audition round of ITV’s Britain's Got Talent. A public footpath in South Somerset is set to remain closed for up to two years... and more
Monday 23rd February

Yeovil MP Adam Dance is warning of a scaling back of jobs at the Leonardo helicopter factory in Yeovil. Work is underway on the multi-million-pound refurbishment of Yeovil police station. The A361 across the Somerset Levels has reopened... and more
Friday 20th February

10,000 incidents of potholes on Somerset’s roads have been reported to Somerset Council in the past four weeks. The Met Office is warning of more unsettled weather into March for Somerset. The Crowshute link in Chard will close for eight nights next month for road repairs... and more
Thursday 19th February

Yeovil fire station is to undergo a major refurbishment. A Yeovil based charity is appealing for adults to become mentors to young people. A Somerset woman has completed a 10,000 kilometre solo bike ride across Africa... and more
Wednesday 18th February

New figures have shown a rise in cases of suicide involving farmers, including in Somerset. Plans to merge the parishes of Castle Cary and Ansford have been scrapped. A Somerset-based charity working to end homelessness is marking its 50th anniversary... and more