News in Shepton Mallet

With several favourites, like local celebrity Michael Eavis, Poet Laureate Simon Armitage, Rachel Johnson, Gina Millar and Michael Wood, all sold out at Cedars Hall for the Wells Festival of Literature there is no need to despair.

Thanks to the festival live streaming of all the events you can watch all your favourites online. Don't miss out, register now by going to https://www.wellsfestivalofliterature.org.uk/live-streaming.

Plans for two bungalows to be built in Shepton Mallet have been approved by Mendip District Council.

The planning application for the building of two two-bedroom bungalows with six parking spaces, courtyard gardens, and cycle/refuse/recycling storage on land at Monmouth Road, Shepton Mallet, had been submitted by Vougar Mamedou.

The kerbside recycling service in Shepton Mallet is about to undergo a major change with the Somerset Waste Partnership's new Recycle More scheme.

The aim is to get more of our waste recycled and to encouraged people to put fewer items in our general waste wheelie bins.

The Green Homes Grant scheme will open tomorrow (September 30) for Mendip residents to apply for vouchers worth thousands of pounds to make homes more energy efficient.

All Mendip homeowners and landlords can apply for vouchers for green home improvements where the government will fund two-thirds of the cost of eligible works, up to £5,000, which could help families save up to £600 a year on energy bills. Low income households will be eligible for up to 100 per cent government funding up to £10,000.

There are reports of a crash on the A37 in Downside, on the edge of Shepton Mallet, this afternoon (September 28).

The accident is believed to have happened at the junction of the A37 and the B3136, and the A37 is said to be partially blocked in both directions.

A local supermarket has teamed up with a Shepton Mallet retirement community, to extend its doorstep food delivery service to its homeowners.

Following a successful trial, McCarthy and Stone's Holmcroft Court in Charlton Road can now order their groceries over the phone using a Morrisons dedicated telesales line.

Following the latest spike in coronavirus cases, the new Government restrictions and the expected length of time that these will be applied, the Shepton Mallet Snowdrop Festival organisers have taken the decision to pause the event for 2021.

Plans were underway for a festival with a different shape and style to take account of social distancing but with the latest news it's clear that the restrictions would make any of the face-to-face elements of the festival extremely difficult and could impose unnecessary risk to the public.

Fly-tipping incidents in Somerset rose by more than 50 per cent during the first three months of lockdown.

The Somerset Waste Partnership (SWP) has published statistics comparing fly-tipping levels during the early lockdown to the same period in 2019.

A consultation is being held to get the views of Shepton Mallet residents before a planning application for 133 homes in the town is submitted.

Redrow Homes want to build the development on the edge of town to the south of Old Wells Road, and are seeking the public's thoughts before submitting their application to Mendip District Council.

It is the last three days of the exhibition Into the Light with Joanna Briar and Angela Morley at Pilton Cider in Shepton Mallet.

Open 11am to 5pm until Sunday September 27.