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

Friday 12th June

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
Thursday 11th June

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
Wednesday 10th June

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
Tuesday 9th June

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
Monday 8th June

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.
Friday 5th June

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
Thursday 4th June

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
Wednesday 3rd June

A Yeovil man has appeared in court charged with assaulting three police officers. Somerset Council has begun legal action to recover more than £320,000 owed by housing developers. The line-up has been announced for this year’s Ilminster Midsummer Experience...and more