Wednesday 19th February

Wednesday, 19 February 2025 06:00

By Steve Haigh

Free parking at council-run car parks in Somerset could soon end with the introduction of Sunday and overnight charging. Pavement slabs in Yeovil town centre, damaged by a utility company a year ago, are finally being replaced. Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue Service is to use £1 million of reserves to fund its day-to-day spending from April...and more.

Free parking at council-run car parks in Somerset could soon end with the introduction of Sunday and overnight charging. The Council is creating what it calls a ‘consistent charging policy across all 200 car parks that it runs. Members of the Council’s Executive are due to discuss the issue at a meeting on February 24th.

Pavement slabs in Yeovil town centre, damaged by a utility company a year ago, are finally being replaced. The new slabs were laid near the junction of High Street and Wine Street as part of the Yeovil Refresh, however, when some were damaged tarmac was used to replace them. Somerset Council says after months of delay, the tarmac is being removed and new slabs laid, at no extra cost to the Council.

Visit Somerset says tourism businesses are relying on the half-term school holiday to help boost their income. This week is the first time since Christmas that attractions, like Cheddar Caves and Wookey Hole, have opened to the public.

Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue Service is to use £1 million of reserves to fund its day-to-day spending. The service is increasing its share of the council tax by five percent from April but says it won’t be enough to pay all running costs. A meeting of the Fire Authority was told the service has reserves of £26 million with £1 million earmarked to plug a funding gap in the budget for the financial year 2025-26.

A Somerset man has successfully defended his UK Bench Press title. Ram Patten underwent major cancer surgery in September and was given a 50 per cent chance of survival. Now in recovery, he's hoping that his comeback story will inspire others.

An events company has bought Shepton Mallet Prison. The last inmates left the 17th-century jail in 2013. The Cove Group has been renting the site and using it as a tourist attraction and events space since 2017.

More from News

Thursday 17th April

The father of a one-month-old baby boy in Chard is to stand trial for the murder of his son. New figures show that just under 1300 crimes were reported to the Police in Yeovil during the final quarter of last year. A night in a prison cell is offered at Shepton Mallet Jail to those who want to be alone this Easter...and more.
Wednesday 16th April

Big changes are being made to where taxi ranks in Yeovil are located. Farmers are being told to keep an extra lookout for people acting suspiciously following the latest livestock theft near the Devon and Somerset border. Channel 4’s Location Location Location is coming to Somerset, with anyone looking to buy a property locally invited to apply to be in the show...and more
Tuesday 15th April

A 36-year-old man remains in police custody after being arrested on suspicion of a sexual assault in Yeovil. Yeovil Labour Club has had its drinks licence revoked. NHS Somerset has been taking its physiotherapy team around the county to cut waiting times for patients. A men-only cooking course has been launched in Sherborne with all ingredients and equipment provided free of charge...and more
Monday 14th April

A new banking hub has opened in Crewkerne. South Western Ambulance is asking people to only dial 999 in a life-threatening emergency over the Easter weekend. £1.8 million is being spent improving walking and cycling routes around a major new housing development at Up Mudford in Yeovil...and more
Friday 11th April

Police are appealing for witnesses to an accident in Yeovil in which a man riding an e-bike was injured and later died in hospital. Somerset Fire and Rescue Service says the number of false alarm calls it receives is on the increase. A new micro-pub opens in Chard next week...and more
Thursday 10th April

Yeovil MP Adam Dance is calling for more targeted support for schools in Somerset. Police are appealing for witnesses to an accident near Wells in which a cyclist died. Plans have been approved to convert a former care home in Yeovil into a house of multiple occupation...and more
Wednesday 9th April

A man from Yeovil has been jailed for stabbing another man in a pub in the town. Work is underway to help minimize the flood risk at Chard Reservoir. Plans have been submitted to build thirty-six new homes at Sparkford. A new Town Crier is needed in Glastonbury...and more
Tuesday 8th April

Work is underway to demolish the Glovers Walk Shopping Centre in Yeovil. A Yeovil man has appeared in court charged with drink driving for a third time. Somerset Council has paid £35,000 in compensation for failing to deliver the right support to children with special educational needs. Another shop in Yeovil town centre is closing for good today...and more