Shopping Trip To 1971 Anyone?

Here's a blast from the past!

The programme has surfaced for the Huish Episcopi & District Flower, Fruit & Vegetable Society Exhibition of 1971. 

Inside are several local advertisers.

Look closely and you'll notice Frank Pengelly's shop hadn't yet moved to the old barn opposite the primary school and 3 branches of Overt Locke are mentioned. 

Enjoy this blast from the past from 55 years ago:

 

Bet that took a few of you back!

And I'm going to thank yours truly for that one, found it in father's old desk! 

carryonlangport.blogspot.com 

Established 2015

😊

YOUR CORRESPONDENCE

 

A selection of readers' e-mails, messages & observations.

 

 

Dear Editor,

After several confusing months of hearing and reading about a proposed 'transport hub' for Langport, we have now finally worked out what it all means.

Unless we've got this one wrong, it means removing the parking spaces outside the line of shops in the precinct and replacing them with bus stops.

Brilliant. Well done Somerset Council.

Many thanks.

From all the shopkeepers there and their elderly, infirm and disabled customers.

 

 ******

To Carry On Langport,

Could you please pass on our thanks to the family who sat next to us at a riverside cafe in Langport on Sunday last week.

As they unzipped their Barbours, asked their children Wind and Drift if they wanted soya or oat milk in their double decaf Americanos and tied their 2 Labradoodlerussels to the table, they started talking about the flooding.

My husband and I haven't had such a good laugh for ages.

We thought we'd already heard all the variations of the way Muchelney can be mispronounced but what they came out with was absolutely marvellous.

They then made a car crash out of trying to say Kingsbury Episcopi and Othery and when I heard one of them describe himself as local I'm afraid I spat my coffee out.

Embarrassed, we tried to leave but the Chelsea Chariot they'd come in was so wide we couldn't open the car doors.

Many thanks.

 [Name & Address supplied] 

 ******

Dear Sir,

While playing pool in the newly opened games room in the Old Stable Bar at the Langport Arms last week, I was stunned to see 15 police officers and 4 sniffer dogs barge through the side door.

As I apologised for forgetting to pay for my carvery the Sunday before, it turned out it was actually a reinactment group marking something that happened there over 30 years ago.

How wonderful! 

I have now joined up and wondered if you could publicise our next event in April marking 5 years since cats started attending Huish Academy.

Many thanks.

Steve Davis 

 ******

To Whom It May Concern

Can I just thank you for some of your work in December, in particular the absolute furore you caused when you asked why a local hospitality business closed so early one Saturday over Christmas.

My wife and I usually have a chuckle at some of the comments on the 'Somerton - Say What You Want' Facebook page - like when someone asked if Proper Job's opening hours were the same as Overt Locke's - but that post on your page about the pub hours was priceless.

As were some of the comments you got, we worked [and struggled] in hospitality for many years and are still trying to get our heads around some of them to be honest.

Please ask another outrageous question soon and we look forward to the ensuing hysteria.

Angie & Den Watts, Long Sutton. 

******

Dear Blogger,

Please pass on to your readers that it is with great regret we have to announce that there won't be any traffic lights through Langport and Huish until at least the beginning of next month.

Yours sincerely,

The Highways Agency / Somerset Council

******

Dear C.O.L,

Re: the suspended ground works for the new changing rooms at Langport & Huish Sports & Social Club.

With no progress likely to be made before at least Easter 2029 and Langport Town FC home games still being played in Somerton, would anyone mind if we threw some bulbs in the abandoned footings there?

And in keeping with the general 'shambolic' feel of the project, we thought we'd plant them upside down.

Regards,

Langport & District Gardening Club 

 PS - and would anybody mind if we planted some tulips in the potholes on Bow Street? 

 

 ******

 To the blogger,

 In some parts of the UK, members of the public have started placing large objects, like bollards, in dangerous potholes to warn oncoming traffic.

With swerving vehicles and punctured tyres becoming a daily occurence here in Somerset, could I encourage people around Langport & Huish to do something similar.

Dangerous? Maybe. But no more dangerous than a cyclist being thrown in to the path of an oncoming vehicle on Bow Bridge eh.

Many thanks.

Citizen Smith.

 

Some interesting correspondence this month, all food for thought!

Thanks for the contributions and log in again soon!

carryonlangport.blogspot.com

'Dodging Potholes' since 2015

😊  

 

Transport Hub @ Langport?

 

Proposals to create some sort of rural transport hub for Langport are still in the pipeline.

With bus stops to a handful of destinations already at Westover, Bow Street, North Street and elsewhere - do we need one? 

How much will it cost and who's paying? 

And with space at a premium in Langport and the car parks already full on a daily basis - where would it be?

Finally, will it make it easier to go and meet someone after finding them on a dating app?

 

 

Looks Like It Might Be!

To get some answers to these questions and more, how about popping in to a local drop-in session tomorrow?

It's right here in the centre of town, here's part of the poster advertising it:

 

👍

In other news:

The Langport Arms has now opened a games room down where La Roche and The Stable Bar used to be for darts, pool and sports events on TV.

A spokeswoman told Carry On Langport they couldn't promise steaks or police raids but that the new space was already proving popular.

Only freeview/terrestrial TV sports events will be shown on the big screen including the Six Nations rugby this week. 

That's your Wednesday night bulletin folks, log in again soon!

carryonlangport.blogspot.com

Established 1997

😊  

Time To Plan Ahead!

 

DATES FOR YOUR DIARY!

With lighter evenings and warmer sunnier days just round the corner, it's time to make a note of some of our favourite spring and summer time events round these 'ere parts!

Nothing worse than accepting a summer wedding invitation when you know all your mates are going to be somewhere else.

Just say you were feeling 'off colour' and then make sure you don't pop up on social media at one of these dancing on a hay bale with your underwear on your head singing Where Be That Blackbird?

😂 

 

 Not a complete list of Somerset events this year but a good start! 

A reminder Yesterday's Farming this year is back on farmland at Drayton. 

Plan ahead folks!

carryonlangport.blogspot.com 

 Established 2015

😊 

Langport-on-Sea

Editors Note: Couldn't upload this to the main blog page so this comes to you via You Tube

 

It can be difficult to capture the vastness of the current flooding on film (especially on a cheap smartphone!) but this was the view from the tower roof at Langport's All Saints Church this lunchtime.

Don't panic Mr Mainwaring! It's happened before. Many times.

But still a spectacular sight and still devastating for homes and businesses who've been flooded out.

You have our sympathies. 

carryonlangport.blogspot.com

Established 2015

😊 

  

FOOD FOR THOUGHT?

 

PRESS RELEASE 

Yesterday the Flooding On The Levels Action Group (FLAG) issued a lengthy press release.

 With parts of many towns and villages flooded across Somerset right now - affecting farmland and farms, business parks, homes, roads, schools, sports clubs and sports fields and many other venues - here's a slice of some of what FLAG had to say.

See what you make of it:  

"During last week’s significant rainfall, pumping capacity at Northmoor Pumping Station was severely impacted due to planned electrical works being carried out by National Grid. As a result, the pumps were unable to operate during a critical period. Although further planned works were postponed, several vital days of pumping capacity were lost. This has had a clear and tangible impact on water levels across the Northmoor area.

 
In addition, local residents repeatedly requested that temporary pumps be deployed to support existing infrastructure. Delays in decision-making meant that the opportunity to safely install temporary pumps at Currymoor was missed. While installing pumps at this location would have been effective while water levels were falling, it is now unsafe to do so until levels reduce further.

 
Residents have also been told that Northmoor Pumping Station cannot operate due to a lack of capacity in the River Parrett. This explanation is misleading. Northmoor Pumping Station is capable of operating continuously when river conditions allow. While it is correct that pumping must be reduced or paused when river levels in the tidal River Parrett are too high to safely discharge water, this is dependent on actual river and tidal conditions at the time and is not limited solely to spring tides. Current conditions do not appear to justify the extent of the delays experienced.

 
We would like to place on record our sincere thanks to the Environment Agency and Internal Drainage Board staff working on the ground, who have been working tirelessly under difficult conditions to keep pumps operational. Our frustration is directed at decision-making higher up the command chain, where delays have left communities exposed.

 
We are also increasingly concerned about additional water entering the system from upstream development. In particular, the discharge from the new water treatment works in North Petherton appears to be contributing to increased flows into Northmoor via Park Brook. This requires urgent investigation to understand its impact during periods of high rainfall.

 
More broadly, the EA continues to rely on trigger levels based on the 2014 flood event. Since then, there has been significant development in areas such as Taunton and North Petherton. Many of these developments do not appear to provide adequate water storage, resulting in water reaching the Somerset Levels far more quickly than it did in 2014."

***** 

That's just part of it, but certainly some interesting points being made there.

To see the full press release, click HERE and it'll take you to FLAG's facebook page, then scroll down to find it.

And feel free to leave your thoughts in the comments section for this article back on Carry On Langport's facebook page.

 👍

carryonlangport.blogspot.com

Established 2015

😊 

PLACE YOUR BETS!

 

 

With the rumour mill out of control across the shire in recent months on who's in the line-up to take over Langport's last pub, there's been a development this week.

Bookmakers Paddy Power and William Hill say they're about to release odds on a handful of likely 'runners'.

They include a joint bid from Sonny & Cher (Eastover), Zsa Zsa Gabor (Kingsbury), another joint bid by the Driscoll Brothers (Aller) and a local retired utility company engineer.

 

So who will it be?

No mention of a bid from the local knackers yard then? 

Either way, all the best to whoever takes it on. Let's just get the place open again eh!

Thanks for the contributions on this one (from just about everyone on the electoral register)

carryonlangport.blogspot.com

'Bringing you local news with a twist' since 2015

😊 

BREAKING NEWS:

 

HERE WE GO AGAIN! 

Messaging on social media overnight, Donald Trump repeated his desire to 'acquire' The Hanging Chapel and turn it in to a US base to monitor Huish Episcopi submarines operating in Langport waters.

It's believed former Langport town councillor Val Saunders may be coming out of retirement to fight the proposals. 

"It's ChapelGate all over again!" she told reporters outside her villa in Waggidorm.

There are also claims the US President may have his eyes on a Huish Episcopi hospitality venue but nothing's been confirmed.

( just don't mention the hours Donald 👍 ) 

There are no further details.  

carryonlangport.blogspot.com

 'Flying the Flag' since 2015

😊 

 

Birthday Girl!

 

Did you know our local church organist has now been playing the pipes for over 70 years?

Alma Tucker's performed at weddings, funerals and other services at St Mary's in Huish Episcopi since she was a teenager.

In a wonderful act of professionalism and dedication, she even played at her own husband's funeral 10 years ago.

And look at this corker of a photograph, taken in the early 80s when Canon Molesworth ruled the roost! 

[Alma sat to his right]

 

Spot anyone you know?

And back in the day Alma was also in a local band with some other local legends many of us remember:

 

Now she's reached another milestone, tomorrow [Monday] is her 85th birthday.

Wishing you a happy birthday Alma from everyone you've played for over 7 decades.

 SEVEN DECADES 

Must be a record!

carryonlangport.blogspot.com

Established 2015

😊 

A.I ROW AT LANGPORT

 

CAN I MAKE A DEPOSIT PLEASE?

A Langport man has denied using A.I to create this image. 

"It was the 1990s!" he told reporters, "we just climbed up there after a night at the pub, got our arses out and the girl from the Spar shop took the picture"

Fair enough. Who needs A.I when you have local pranksters?

 carryonlangport.blogspot.com

'Cracking It' since 2015

😊 

Oh Dear......

GOT ANY TIME TO SPARE THIS SUNDAY?

Volunteers are needed to take down the town's Christmas lights. 

Be at the Town Hall at 9am or roll up later if you can't make it that early.

Let's hope it goes better than last year eh.

carryonlangport.blogspot.com

'Rockin Around The Clock' since 2015

😊 

Cheerio Mrs Derham

 

 

 

Jean Derham, who taught hundreds of us at the local primary school, has died at the grand old age of 93.

Pictured here with one of her classes in the early 1970s, she passed away peacefully at her home in Pibsbury earlier this month.

She leaves a husband Victor and son Tony to whom we pass on our condolences.

Jean, or "Miss" as many of us knew her, began working at the school in 1971 and stayed there until retirement in the mid 1980s.

Tony has said any of his Mum's former pupils are welcome to attend her funeral.

It's at Taunton Crematorium on Friday 30th January at 2:40pm.

 

A huge part of childhood for many of us here across Langport, Huish and the surrounding villages.

 Cheerio Mrs Derham.

 

 

JEAN DERHAM

1932 - 2026 

🩷

It's Wassail season!

 

Wassail season is well and truly here!

 

Some wassailers throw toast at their apple trees, some throw cider, some even shoot their trees [to get those pesky evil spirits out of the orchard] and most wassailers have a good sing-song too.

 

There are lots of events on so apologies if we haven't included yours, here's what we have so far starting with one this evening!

 

 

This one's tomorrow

 

then it's up the hill to Ham

 

 

 

and this one's back down the hill right next to 'The Church in 

 

the Field'

 

 

One more event for you folks - ok it's not a wassail - but it certainly looks like it could have an 'olde English' medieval theme, check this event out over in Westonzoyland all day tomorrow:

 

😊

 

 

Finally some late news:

 

 

Despite valiant efforts by Stannah engineers, the Langport Arms says it still hasn't had the stair lift up to the ballroom repaired.

There are no further details.

 

😁 

That's it for now.

 

Thanks for the contributions and log in again soon!

 

carryonlangport.blogspot.com

 

'Putting it out there' since 2015

 

😛 

 

Go Tractors Go!

 

 

New Year's Day Somerset Tractor Run 2026

Over 100 tractors took part yesterday in local farmers' annual fundraiser bringing people out on to the streets all over a large chunk of the county.

Raising money for the Dorset & Somerset Air Ambulance and the farmers' support group Farmerados, a handy 'tractor tracker' online meant many spectators knew exactly when to expect them.

Here's a delightfully noisy little taster from Langport yesterday: 

Who needs rook-scarers when you've got a horn like that!

😁😁😁

 

Although it wasn't caught on video, one of the funniest sights of the Langport procession was seeing a Somerset Council yellow gritter lorry stuck right at the back of the procession by which time the front end had already turned in to Drayton.

Poor old chap - but he had a smile on his face!

If you'd like to donate to the fundraising pot then click HERE which takes you to the event's official website.

 

 

As of around 9 o'clock this morning the total stood at over two thousand three hundred pounds.

Well done to all those who took part, what a great thing to watch go by!

[and where can we get one of those tractor horns???]

Happy New Year everyone! 

carryonlangport.blogspot.com

Trying to make sense of it all since 2015

😊 

NEW YEAR'S EVE 2025

 

OUT AND ABOUT TONIGHT? 

If you want to be out and about with people at a public venue this evening through till the big midnight countdown and beyond then here's where you might try, these are all being advertised as free entry events: 

The Langport Arms [Karaoke & you'll need to be inside by 9pm]

Langport & Huish Sports & Social Club [disco - be inside by 10pm] 

The Halfway House, Pitney [live band]

The Drayton Crown [70s disco]

The Old Pound, Aller [some free food & drink & free jukebox]

The King's Head, High Ham [disco] 

Bowdens Bar, up at the caravan park [free buffet & live music] 

The Firehouse, Curry Rivel [walk-in drinkers welcome but tables now all booked out] 

The Wyndham Arms, Kingsbury [party tunes]

 Enjoy your night!

 😊

Finally, Wassail season is upon us!

Just got three listed for you so far:

 

and thirdly - Tricky Cider in Low Ham, just round the corner from 'The Church in The Field', is having theirs on 7th February.

That's your final bulletin of the year folks!

Thanks for the contributions during 2025, many of which were hilarious [naughty photographs] but they just couldn't be used!

Maybe the blog should have an adult only version!  

carryonlangport.blogspot.com

Happy New Year!

😁😁😁

What a picture!

 

 

Taken in the early 1960s at our local primary school, this lot would be around 70 now!

What a great picture!

See anyone you know? 

carryonlangport.blogspot.com

Established before all the townies came

😊 

Was only asking!

 

 

Just doing a bit of sniffing around this evening, just a bit of local investigative journalism. 

Can anyone throw any light on why Eli's closed at around 6pm last night? Saturday night? 

Lots of people asking at other venues so we're just passing on the question. 

Any thoughts?

***

LATE EDIT: Following the hysteria on Facebook caused by this post, we'll never mention the hours at the pub again. Been told, wrists slapped etc etc.

 Shocking eh, someone making a query about early closing.

To the tower with him! To the tower! 

carryonlangport.blogspot.com

Established 1970

 😊

Wow!

 

Spotted over the rec just before sunrise today. 

 

Wow! 

 

Happy Christmas to one and all and many thanks to the man out walking his dog who took this picture early this morning

 

carryonlangport.blogspot.com

 

Established 1985

 

😊 

CELEBRITY NEWS

 

Jona Lewie spotted singing famous Christmas hit outside Langport Arms:

 

Marvellous!

carryonlangport.blogspot.com

Established 1917

😊 

 

Pressed the wrong button again have we Vicar?

 

Singers at St Mary's Church carol service in Huish Episcopi were lost for words last night when the lyrics to the second verse of Away In A Manger disappeared from the building's new pull-down smart screen.

It happened bang on 7:30pm just as the Vicar's favourite soap was starting.

"I knew the next verse was something about cattle so I just started mooing" said one woman in the congregation.

 Several parishioners then reported seeing the vicar frantically fiddling knobs up the vestry until normal service was resumed.

The Diocese press office at the Bishop's Palace in Wells says it's investigating the blunder and apologised to several Courtfield pensioners who'd turned up to watch Eastenders.

😄  

MEANWHILE OVER IN PITNEY LAST NIGHT

Local farmers turned out in force for the village's annual 'counting lesson' at the Halfway House:

 

Long Sutton man Rupert Cox, pictured dancing on a chair dressed in red and who asked not to be filmed, said he was disappointed he only got to 5 this year but was hoping to get to 10 Lords a Leaping very soon, depending on how the Long Sutton elections go next May.

 That's your Thursday bulletin folks, thanks for the contributions and now....

 

  

 A bit of festive local advertising:

Firstly, that stunning view of part of the levels everyone talks about from up at the Bowdens Bar at the caravan park outside Langport, well it's beginning to look more like a sea now! And it's only gonna get bigger!

If you fancy a festive visit, here are the venue's hours from the 24th:

 

If you're interested in this next one, a reminder you now only have until Sunday to ring in your booking.

 What a great thing this is, well done to all involved:

If you're a 70s disco fan, check out what's going on at Drayton on New Year's Eve!

 

and finally The Old Pound at Aller's also announced its festive opening hours & dates:

 

👍

carryonlangport.blogspot.com

Established 1963

😊

Gus at Christmas!

 

And now we cross over to Westward Television for Gus Honeybun's Birthdays!

According to 1980s TV folklore down in Plymouth, the puppeteer working the rabbit was often half-cut at Christmas.

Absolutely marvellous! 

carryonlangport.blogspot.com

Established 1978 

😊

 

 

ON THE BOX THIS CHRISTMAS!

Local TV unveils late afternoon schedule for big day!

Let's take a look:

 

More Details in the Radio Times & TV Times magazines

👍

carryonlangport.blogspot.com

Established 2015

😊 

OH DEAR OH DEAR

Another Christmas and another no-show for our 4 festive friends.

Anyone know where they are? What happened?

Always a fun thing for the kiddiewinks to look up and see! 

Maybe they've gone the same way as the bank.....and only turn up in a mobile van once a month [if they can be arsed]

👍 

carryonlangport.blogspot.com

Established 2015

😊 

Gone But Not Forgotten

 

With the Black Swan closed until further notice, the Kelways Inn closed some years ago, the White Lion, Dolphin, Old Custom House and The Legion closed for good long before that...

and with Eli's closing at 7pm and The Arms locking people in from 9pm, this New Year's Eve - it looks like it's official:

For the first time in living memory there will not be a venue across Langport and Huish with its doors open all night to celebrate the turn of the year at midnight on December 31st. 

[click play and read the rest] 

 

Let's get misty-eyed for a moment

 For many of us [perhaps the over 50s?] those new year's eves will never be forgotten around Langport and Huish.

People in fancy dress everywhere you looked, the big pub countdown at midnight or getting the radio out on the bar and listening to Big Ben, then going out in the street, standing in a massive circle blocking the road and singing Auld Lang Syne, then doing a drunken congo dance back inside.

And that was just the start of it! 

Happy memories eh. 

This isn't ancient history, this all only started dying out [around here anyway] over the last decade or so.

There are of course many local pubs and venues known to us all outside of Langport & Huish which will be staying open until midnight and beyond this New Year's Eve

which is surely the whole point of it

But there ya go, here in the mid 2020s in Langport & Huish anyway - for one reason or another - that's the way it is folks.

____________

LATE EDIT#1: Sports Club now saying it's doing a disco, details to be confirmed.

LATE EDIT#2: The Arms bar poster saying the frontdoor's closing at 8pm has now had an hour added to it.

The policy being that if you're in, you're in and welcome to party through till 12 o'clock and beyond. 

So the deadline for any 'walk-ins' to get in to the town's only remaining venue on New Year's Eve 2025 is now 9pm.

TIZ A FUNNY OLD WORLD! 

carryonlangport.blogspot.com 

😔