News in Shepton Mallet

The latest regionalised weekly figures have shown that 18 people have died in the Mendip area from coronavirus-related causes.

The NHS Confederation says "tens of thousands of lives have been saved" as a result of lockdown measures, after the number of UK-wide coronavirus deaths reached its lowest weekly level for six weeks in mid-May.

The Mendip area, including Shepton Mallet, has 23 drivers still on the roads who have enough points on their licenses to trigger a ban.

The Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (Rospa) said it was concerning that drivers with 12 points or more were still allowed on the roads.

The Lord-Lieutenant of Somerset, who lives in Pilton, is calling on caring communities to keep up the good work and "be good neighbours" for residents continuing to shield as some coronavirus restrictions start to ease.

Since the start of the UK lockdown, volunteers and good neighbours have banded together with the NHS, local authorities and voluntary and charity organisations to support the most vulnerable in the county – and their help is still needed.

A Shepton Mallet district councillor has vowed to push to make sure the town gets its fair share of a government fund that is dedicated to help high street recovery.

Mendip district councillor for Shepton East, Garfield Kennedy, has said that the money the government has given to the area is "a drop in the bucket" of what is needed, but said he will do his best to make sure the town gets as much as possible.

Ridge Lane on the outskirts of Shepton Mallet is scheduled to be closed for a day during the next couple of weeks.

The whole of the lane will be closed for a day at some point between Friday May 29 and June 12.

Mendip District Council is to receive more than £102,000 from the government to help it support the recovery of high streets including the one in Shepton Mallet.

A new £50 million fund for councils to support their local high streets get safely back to business was announced today (May 24) by High Streets Minister Simon Clarke.

Only one of Shepton Mallet's pharmacies will be open over the late May Bank Holiday weekend.

According to the official list provided by NHS England, the Boots Pharmacy at Park Medical Practice and Evercreech Pharmacy will both be closed tomorrow (Sunday May 24) and on Bank Holiday Monday (May 25).

An optician in Shepton Mallet High Street is stepping up preparations to fully reopen next month, after looking out for key workers during the coronavirus crisis.

Christopher Young Opticians are hoping to open for simple retail operations in June, but in the meantime have been busy with sight emergencies and providing glasses for key workers during lockdown.

Mendip District Council has confirmed that investigations are ongoing into the cause of an odour from the former Greencore site in Evercreech.

An allegation of odour nuisance was reported to the council, so officers visited the site and were satisfied that residual materials from the former milk products manufacturer were responsible.

Two people have been arrested on suspicion of possessing an imitation firearm following an incident in Shepton Mallet yesterday (Wednesday May 20).

Avon and Somerset Police were called to attend a disturbance in the Hillmead area at about 5pm in which a firearm was reportedly seen, but not discharged. Armed officers attended and searched a property but no-one was inside.