Wednesday 6th November

Wednesday, 6 December 2023 06:00

By Steve Haigh

A well-known fish and chip shop in Yeovil is closing, with its owner blaming the poor state of the town centre for his decision. Plans have been approved to build a major new solar farm at Ilton near Ilminster. The Environment Agency is warning that more parts of South Somerset could flood in the next few days as river levels continue to rise...and more

A well-known fish and chip shop in Yeovil is closing, with its owner blaming the poor state of the town centre for his decision. Palmer’s on Market Street will cease trading on Saturday, December 16th, after 65 years of serving fish and chips. Owner, Clive Palmer, says a lack of on-street parking, and the ongoing disruption within Yeovil town centre, has led to the business becoming uneconomic.

Plans have been approved to build a major new solar farm at Ilton. Land off Merryfield Lane, close to Ilton Cricket Club, will be used for the scheme, with construction expected to start early in the New Year.

The Environment Agency is warning that more parts of South Somerset could flood as river levels rise in the next few days. The agency says the flood risk has increased with more rain and rivers at bursting point.

An inquest has been told how an elderly woman with dementia died after getting trapped under a stair-lift at a care home in Langport. Barbara Rymell was a resident at Ashley House in Langport, where the accident happened. The Somerset Senior Coroner said the emergency response had been hampered because two staff at the care home who called 999 didn't speak very good English and failed to communicate fully the seriousness of the situation.

A new report into the state of nature in Somerset says the County is experiencing a serious decline in numbers of insects and birds. The study from the Somerset Wildlife Trust says more than eleven per cent of grassland habitats have disappeared in the County in recent years.

A hair and beauty salon in Ilminster has won a top award. Transformations Hair, Beauty & Aesthetics, based at The North Barn Park on the Dillington Estate, has been named South West Luxury Spa of the Year in the English Beauty Industry Awards 2023.

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