News in Shepton Mallet

A farmer is hoping to turn a field in West Cranmore into an environmentally-friendly natural burial ground.

Ed Green, who lives in Frome, has applied to Mendip District Council for planning permission to change the use of the 1.8 hectare field, a mile from the A361, and to create a small car park and build a wooden cabin for shelter and "ceremonial gathering space" and separate compost toilet.

New and replacements fire engines may not be deployed in Somerset until the middle of 2021 because of the coronavirus.

Devon & Somerset Fire & Rescue Service will be spending more than £15M over the next five years on replacement fire engines as part of its 'Safer Together' programme – with just over £5M being committed for the first year.

Mendip's ambitious plans to provide much-needed social housing right across the district is a step closer.

The scheme - the first for two decades - promises to create jobs, boost skills and the local economy, while leaving a lasting legacy of social homes offering fair rents for residents.

Police have made an appeal for anyone who might have seen racist words being sprayed on a fence in a shopping centre in Shepton Mallet.

They are appealing for information following a report of criminal damage to fencing near to Tesco Superstore, Townsend Shopping Centre in Shepton Mallet, bordering Summerleaze Park.

Temporary traffic lights are scheduled to be in place on the main road through Waterlip next week.

The lights are due to be used from Tuesday (July 14) to July 20 from the junction with Ball Lane to Long Cross.

Somerset-based cancer counselling charity We Hear You (WHY) are seeking a new member of their Board of Trustees, to take over from current treasurer Peter Lennard, former finance director of Dorothy House Hospice Care who is standing down in the autumn.

Melissa Hillier, director of We Hear You, said: "Many thanks to Peter Lennard for all his hard work and support - all of us at WHY wish him the very best for the future.

Street and District Swimming Club has been delighted at the support shown so far by people and businesses in Shepton Mallet in its mission to raise funds to get swimmers back in the pool safely following the Covid-19 crisis.

A club spokesman said: "We are just blown away by the response to our appeal so far.

A former student of Whitstone School in Shepton Mallet has been successful in a competition run by the Royal Society of Biology, designed to test students' wider knowledge of the subject.

Amy Smith, of Shepton Mallet, was one of the Year 2 A-level students at Strode College in Street who achieved top results in the British Biology Olympiad earlier in the year and they have just received their certificates.

A planning application has been submitted to Mendip District Council for the conversion of the Duke of Cumberland in Holcombe into a farm shop and micro pub.

The application for the conversion of the free house looking at the change of bar area and seating areas into new farm shop and kitchen layout, new side extension for added seating area and reshuffle of layout for micro pub, plus new first floor configuration to allow external entry and added second accommodation at the Duke Of Cumberland Inn, Edford Hill, Holcombe, has been made by Toby Brett.

The Make the Sunshine community interest company from Shepton Mallet has welcomed the announcement yesterday (July 6) from the government that it is putting £1.57 billion of funding into the arts.

The arts organisation is hoping to return to some form of live performances in the autumn, and is hoping that the funding announced today will help secure the future of the arts in general.