Shepton Mallet readers spell out how to bring shoppers back

By Laura Linham 10th Apr 2026

Local News by Laura Linham 10th Apr 2026

Shepton Mallet readers have sent Somerset Council a clear message on the high street: slogans will not save it.

After the council once again urged people to shop local and eat local this spring, readers piled into the debate with a far more hard-edged verdict. Their view was simple — people still care about the town centre, but too many think it is being made too difficult, too scruffy or too underpowered to draw them in.

Several readers said free parking would be the quickest way to give traders a lift. Sue Dawson called for free parking on Friday market days and one extra day in the week. Phil Smith backed free Friday parking too. Simon Paul went further, accusing the council of having "the cheek" to ask residents to support local businesses after raising and introducing parking charges.

Charlèigh Stanley said Shepton needs better shops and a stronger mix of businesses if it is going to tempt more people into town. Andy Matthews struck a similar note, arguing there are plenty of service-based businesses but not enough places where shoppers can actually buy things.

Not every comment was downbeat.

Alix Warwick said the pedestrianised stretch of the high street is already a strong point and argued that Shepton has more going for it than critics admit. She praised the Polish shop by the Market Cross, The Art Bank, the Queen Victoria and the Sunday market, saying the town has quirky businesses, community spirit and talented people who care about the place.

But she added that bins need emptying more regularly and called for better cleaning.

That taps into a wider complaint running through the discussion — that the basics still matter. Clean streets, tidy public spaces and a town centre that looks cared for are not luxuries, but a part of what makes it welcoming.

Other readers wanted fresh ideas to create a buzz.

Richard Cooke suggested a monthly car boot sale in the high street, arguing it could inject life and footfall into the town. The idea reflects a broader mood in the comments that Shepton needs more reasons for people to turn up, linger and spend.

And while plenty used the moment to vent, others heaped praise on local businesses, including The Hive, Denela's, The Art Bank, the Queen Victoria and the Sunday market as places worth backing.

Taken together, the comments paint a town that has not given up on its high street — but is tired of soft words.

Some want free parking. Some want cleaner streets. Some want a better mix of shops and more events. But all of it points in the same direction: Shepton Mallet readers do not just want to be told to support local. They want to see changes that make doing it easier.