News in Shepton Mallet

With the lockdown easing, at Shepton Mallet Nub News we are switching back on our What's On section and we want to help publicise your event.

Whether it is an online concert or class, or a fundraising event for later in the year when restrictions may be eased further, we want to feature it on Shepton Mallet Nub News.

Villagers in Pilton welcomed their first grocery store in almost a decade on Friday (July 3) as a new Co-op opened its doors.

Cutting the ribbon was Jo Whitfield, Co-op Food's CEO, and founder of the Glastonbury Festival, Michael Eavis, who has long championed the ethical retailer's arrival in the village.

Haskins in Shepton Mallet have announced that they are going to be offering three hours of free parking from now on.

During the lockdown, Haskins extended the free parking time from 90 minutes to three hours to allow for customers queuing outside Aldi.

Mendip School, the special school based on the Bath and West Showground near Shepton Mallet, is beginning a year-long appeal to raise the £1.1 million needed to build a new swimming pool.

When the school was built there was not funding in place to include a pool. The school has now been running for five years and will be increasing the facilities available to students and the community.

A woman from Stoke St Michael will have her head shaved this week to raise money for Macmillan Cancer Support.

Rachael Watts will Brave the Shave on Tuesday (July 7) at 7pm in the Knatchbull Arms in her home village, and she has already nearly hit her fundraising target.

A new Wessex Water Foundation, which is a multi-million pound initiative launched by Somerset's water and sewerage company, is set to focus on supporting people hit hardest by the Covid-19 crisis in its first year.

The foundation is providing dedicated funding for projects across the Wessex Water region in partnership with Somerset Community Foundation (SCF), which is based at the Bath and West Showground near Shepton Mallet, as well as Wiltshire, Dorset and Quartet Community Foundations, and is already prioritising those worst affected by the pandemic.

A group of councillors from the Shepton Mallet area are asking private car park operators to match the free parking currently available in council car parks in the town.

Barry O'Leary, Chris Inchley, Edric Hobbs, Garfield Kennedy, Sam Phripp and Josh Burr have written to Haskins and UKPC, who run the car park at the Townsend Retail Park, to ask them to allow shoppers to park there without any parking fees or limits, to enable Shepton Mallet businesses to recover from the coronavirus crisis.

Following updated guidance from the UK Government that restaurants may reopen, Dobbies Garden Centre will open its restaurant in Shepton Mallet on Saturday July 4.

The news comes after Dobbies reopened its store in the town in May, with strict social distancing measures in operation.

Plans have been submitted to Mendip District Council to build three new almhouses in Shepton Mallet.

The planning application for the building of three almshouses in Church Lane, Shepton Mallet, has been made by chairman of United Charities - Shepton Mallet, Jeff Curtis.

Mendip District Council is to lift restrictions on its play areas in the Shepton Mallet area from Saturday July 4.

All 45 council-owned play spaces, kick-about areas and skate parks across the district will be accessible again this weekend.