Thursday 20th November

Thursday, 20 November 2025 05:00

By Steve Haigh

Taunton Town Council has agreed to provide funding for five years to support the town's Brewhouse Theatre. The Environment Agency is warning that Somerset could experience a drought next spring if this winter is drier than usual. We’re being asked to look out for rough sleepers during the current cold snap...and more

Taunton Town Council has agreed to provide £105,000 in funding each year for five years to support the town's Brewhouse Theatre. The Taunton Theatre Association, which has taken on running the theatre from Somerset Council, says the bulk of the money will be used to pay for repairs to the building.

Eight out of ten people in a consultation say they’re against paying for Sunday parking at car parks run by Somerset Council. The Council says it’s assessing the economic impact of the move, but points out that in other towns where Sunday parking charges have been introduced, the local economy has not suffered. Somerset Council is due to meet next month to discuss the consultation results.

The Environment Agency is warning that Somerset could experience a drought next spring if this winter is drier than usual. It says that unless there is sustained rainfall before the end of March, drought conditions could worsen, impacting crop yields and wildlife. It's also warning of hosepipe bans.

We’re being asked to look out for rough sleepers during the current cold snap. With overnight temperatures falling below freezing, Somerset Council has activated its Severe Weather Emergency plan, which provides emergency accommodation for rough sleepers. The Council says outreach teams have been contacted to ensure no one dies on the streets and that every effort is made to engage with people who sleep rough. If you see someone sleeping rough, you can report it on the Street Link website or by calling 0300 123 22 24.

A dance group in South Somerset has won an international award. Ashill Scottish Country Dancers took first prize in the People’s Choice Award in the Royal Scottish Country Dance Society’s Virtual Festival. Their winning entry, a five-minute video entitled Dance a Rainbow, featured seven Scottish country dances, themed around a colour of the rainbow. Anyone who would like to join the group meets every Tuesday at 7.30 pm at Horton Village Hall.

More from News

Wednesday 19th November

Yeovil MP Adam Dance is calling for stronger preventative measures to stop sewage discharges into local waterways. Somerset Council is to provide three new children's homes across the County. Street Football Club has appointed a father-and-son team to manage the club... and more.
Tuesday 18th November

Somerset Council has set up a task force to help identify land for a permanent traveller’s site in the county. Police are appealing for information after a charity shop in Martock was targeted by burglars. A Somerset woman is seeking individuals with a connection to the armed forces to join a new amateur rowing club...and more.
Monday 17th November

Workers belonging to the Unite union at Leonardo Helicopters in Yeovil are threatening further strike action. Dunelm says its Yeovil store in the Quedam will reopen on Tuesday, December 16th. A nurse working at Yeovil Hospital has won a place in the final of Miss England...and more.
Friday 14th November

Yeovil Hospital has introduced a new system for handling patients at its A&E department aimed at cutting waiting times. It’s claimed that an Iron Age settlement preserved under Somerset's wetlands for 2,000 years is facing erosion due to climate change. Montacute Road in Tintinhull will be closed for five days next week for repairs to a gas main.
Thursday 13th November

Workers at Leonardo Helicopters in Yeovil are taking part in a second day of strike action in their dispute over pay. Lloyds Bank has closed its branch in Chard permanently. A week-long programme of tree planting will be held at Ham Hill later this month to mark National Tree Week...and more
Wednesday 12th November

Workers belonging to the Unite union at Leonardo Helicopters in Yeovil begin a two-day strike today. Yeovil MP, Adam Dance, has been speaking in a parliamentary debate on improving dyslexia support in schools. South Western Ambulance Service is inviting applications for positions on its governing council...and more
Tuesday 11th November

Somerset residents are being urged to get a flu jab as cases of flu continue to rise. Seven horse saddles have been stolen in a break-in at a riding school in Queen Camel. Donations of children’s toys are needed for this year’s Chard Christmas Present Appeal...and more
Monday 10th November

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.