Around 50 jobs could be created at the bottom of Shepton Mallet High Street under plans for a new sports bar, arcade and American diner.

Entrepreneur Laura Summers told Shepton Mallet Town Council's Town Development and Planning Committee on Tuesday, 18 August, that she is currently renovating three properties for the new venture. She said the businesses would together employ around 50 people if the plans progress.

Ms Summers told councillors: "We're looking to do a sports bar with an arcade and an American diner. This is a completely new venture."

She added: "With all three properties it will be around 50 people to be employed, which means we are going to be obviously helping the community."

The ambition, she said, was to bring something new to the town centre.

"We just want to be able to give Shepton something — somewhere for people to go, something to enjoy and something to do," she told the meeting.

Laura is already well known locally through the Sleek Easy Clean, the cleaning and property-maintenance business she founded in 2022.

The Shepton project represents a move into a very different sector, although Laura told councillors she has already gained her personal alcohol licence and recruited experienced staff to support the new operation.

She said six of the people she has employed also hold personal licences, with most bringing between 20 and 30 years of experience.

"Obviously myself, I'm very new to this industry," she said. "But it's one with their experience. Obviously I've done my training as well."

The premises licence discussed by councillors relates to on-site alcohol sales. Laura confirmed she is not seeking an off-sales licence.

She also told the committee that she plans to submit a separate planning application for a small amount of outdoor seating, potentially involving two sets of tables outside the premises.

Laura said the business would look to employ door staff on busier Friday and Saturday evenings.

She told councillors: "Especially Friday, Saturday nights, we would be getting door staff. It would also make sure that there is no trouble in the High Street afterwards."

The premises licence application discussed at the meeting would allow alcohol sales between 7 am and 11 pm, with the premises potentially remaining open until 11.30 pm.

Councillors responded positively to the proposals, particularly the potential employment boost and the prospect of bringing more activity to the lower end of the High Street.

The committee also discussed how the new businesses could sit alongside other regeneration taking place nearby, including work which councillors said had begun at The Bell.

During that discussion, one of the clearest themes was that new venues in the same part of town could complement rather than compete with each other, helping to draw more people into Shepton's centre.

The council raised no objection to the premises licence application.

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