Wednesday 24th January

Wednesday, 24 January 2024 06:00

By Steve Haigh

A planning expert has criticised Somerset Council for wanting to shut all council-run public toilets to save money. Two people from Somerset have become the first in England to try a new weight loss treatment that can cut body weight by up to 15 percent in four months. A Yeovil apple grower has won a top prize for the quality of the apples he produces...and more

A planning expert has criticised Somerset Council for planning to shut all council-run public toilets in Somerset, to save money. Somerset Council needs to cut its spending by £100 million or risk going bankrupt and is hoping that town and parish councils will take over running public conveniences in their areas. Clara Greed, a Professor in Urban Planning, says it would be wrong to close public toilets as they are an essential public service.

Two people from Somerset have become the first in England to try a new weight loss treatment that can cut body weight by up to 15 percent in four months. The treatment involves using an expanding water-filled balloon positioned in the stomach before people undergo weight loss surgery.

There’s a warning that pharmacists in Somerset are operating at a loss and that some may be forced to close. The issue was raised in the House of Commons by the Lib Dem MP for Somerton and Frome, Sarah Dyke. In response, Health Secretary Victoria Atkins said the government was investing in pharmacies by giving them greater healthcare responsibilities.

A Yeovil apple grower has won a top prize for the quality of his apples. James Pullen from Perrins Hill Farm was presented with the ‘Thatcher’s Apple Growers of the Year Award’ at the company’s annual Wassail event. Pullen’s operate a seventy-five-acre orchard in Tintinhull and have supplied Thatchers with apples for thirteen years.

A workshop is being held in Chard for people to learn about the town’s listed buildings. Chard has one-hundred-and-thirty-three listed buildings, each with a fascinating history and background. The event – which is free to attend - takes place at Chard Guildhall on Thursday, February 15th, between 10 am and 3 pm.

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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