News in Shepton Mallet

Concerns have been raised over plans to build 129 homes on the site of the former Greencore factory in Evercreech.

A virtual public meeting was held last week where the plans were put forward to villagers, but many were concerned about the pressure on the village infrastructure and the loss of a site that offered recruitment.

Four Somerset district councils have joined forces to fund and launch a new scheme to give start-ups and early stage businesses the best chance of success.

Called Somerset Catalyst, it is part of a wider business support programme that is rolling out across the county. Applications for the programme commencing in September 2020 are now invited.

Families, staff and friends of a special school will join together in Collett Park, Shepton Mallet, next month to raise money for a new swimming pool.

The sponsored walk in aid of the Mendip School, which is at the Bath and West Showground near Shepton Mallet, will take place in the park between 11am and 3pm on Sunday September 27 and people can join in at any time, walking as far as they are able. Dogs and buggies are all welcome and the route is fully wheelchair friendly.

Shepton Mallet Nub News aims to be supportive to every element of the town's community from business and shops to people and charities and clubs and sports organisations.

Everyone is finding it tough at the moment and is desperate to get back to normal.

Temporary traffic lights are scheduled to be used on the B3136 Waterloo Road in Shepton Mallet this week.

The lights are due to be used outside numbers 19 to 23 from Friday (August 7) to August 11.

The coronavirus pandemic has cost Somerset taxpayers more than £3 million as a result of recycling centres being closed and new bin collections being delayed.

The Somerset Waste Partnership (SWP) was forced to close all 16 household waste recycling centres at the start of the pandemic – and to postpone rolling out its Recycle More collections, which would have seen more materials recycled at the kerbside.

A forest school on the edge of Shepton Mallet has received a grant of £2,800 from the Somerset Coronavirus Appeal.

Run by the Somerset Community Foundation (SCF), which is based at the Bath and West Showground near Shepton Mallet, the appeal aims to support community groups and organisation through the coronavirus crisis.

A dedicated athlete will bid to lift the spirits of the people of Shepton Mallet tomorrow (July 31) when she attempts to run 100 miles around the town.

Emma Challis will be lapping the town 16 times and is calling on residents to come out and cheer her on, and raise smiles at what has been a difficult time.

A majority of Somerset county councillors have voted to abolish themselves and create a new unitary authority for the whole county.

Council leader David Fothergill has put forward the One Somerset business case, which would see Somerset's five existing councils abolished and replaced by May 2022.

Firefighters from Shepton Mallet helped tackle a bungalow fire in Wells yesterday evening (July 29), in which a dog was rescued, after a neighbour noticed smoke issuing from the rear of the home and dialled 999.

At the time of call they confirmed that they had tried to raise the alarm by knocking on the door of the property in Churchill Close but there was no answer. Crews from Wells and Shepton Mallet were initially mobilised just after 6pm.