Saturday morning Test:

 Engineering Works:

Still trying to stretch binder twine between my BT socket on the wall, the Commodore 64 and the town clock to see if this works.

This is a test to sort out a posting issue with Facebook.

Do not adjust your set, but if this appears on Facebook (which means it's worked), you may have to click like/follow again to refresh the service.

- and a reminder...the blog is always available on carryonlangport.blogspot.com

 Picture 1.

Picture 2.

Picture 3.

END OF TEST.

- scroll down for advertising...

carryonlangport.blogspot.com

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No booking required, just turn up!

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THIS SUNDAY:

MUSIC AND FREE TASTERS

Come and celebrate Thai Mango's 3rd anniversary

Feauturing performances by authentic Thai dancers

From 1pm

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 KELWAYS HOUSING APPLICATION

For those of you who missed it, there was more news on the Persimmon Homes application on the land opposite Kelways this week.

Click on the link below to take a look:

http://carryonlangport.blogspot.com/2018/06/not-coming-soon.html 

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NOT coming soon...

 

Trial Ground housing development rejected again

Surely it's time the advertising board which, for over a year now, has read "Persimmon Homes - Coming Soon" etc on the corner of the land opposite Kelways should now be taken down or at least graffitied re-written?

 If a tiny business on Bow Street tries to get a sign up on the roadside, pavement or building it has to jump through hoops but not Persimmon which seems to be a law unto itself.

The 80 dwellings the company is so desperate to inflict on us (and our roads, schools, sewers and GP practice) have been rejected again by a committee of South Somerset District Councillors including Huish and Langport's own Clare Aparicio.

But this is by no means the end of the story. The applicaton may well now go to something called 'The Regulation Committee' which in layman's terms means we may end up with the decision being handed to a government inspector who could come down, look at the application, and give it the green light...all in the name of national housing quotas apparently.

Either way, Persimmon's plans to build on the land and rip out the beech hedge have at least been delayed for a while.

Watch this space.

carryonlangport.blogspot.com

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THIS SUNDAY:

LIVE MUSIC AND FREE TASTERS

Come and celebrate Thai Mango's 3rd anniversary

Feauturing performances by authentic Thai dancers

From 1pm

😊

 Check their Facebook page for further information about weekday bookings and other details.

https://www.facebook.com/LangportBoatHire/

or go to the website:

http://www.langportboathire.co.uk/ 

No booking required at weekends, just turn up!

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Getting our own way since 1972...

...and ripping out hedges near you soon:

Persimmon Homes will again try to get planning permission today (Weds) for 80 dwellings on the land opposite The Kelways Inn.

Despite dozens of local objections entered on South Somerset District Council's website (which councillors see), there's no guarantee it'll be stopped.

The arguments against include that the Langport and Huish area has already had its quota of new housing (behind both Kelways and Newtown), that local sewers won't cope, that rain run-off will overwhelm the drains, that the surgery can't cope with anymore patients, that the area's roads will become busier and that tiny Langport's facilities won't cope with the extra people and traffic.

There's also strong local objection to removing this avenue of  beech hedges which stretches from the main road at Kelways down to part of Garden City.

The large chestnut trees along the roadside (opposite the former pub) are protected with tree preservation orders. But experience from other parts of the UK shows us that that doesn't guarantee their safety...housing developers have been known to 'accidentally' chop down officially protected trees.

What's a small fine and a slap on the wrist to a multi-million pound business eh?

Members of the public can speak before the meeting, which is at 3.30pm at the council offices at Brymton Way, Yeovil.

 Let's see what we get and furthermore...how our 'local' (she lives at Stembridge) district councillor Clare Aparicio Paul votes.

 

https://www.southsomerset.gov.uk/councillors-and-democracy/councillors/find-your-local-councillor/cllr-clare-aparicio-paul/

Click on the link above and scroll down to see how you can get hold of her.

Many thanks to all those who contributed to this article.

carryonlangport.blogspot.com

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DROUGHT!

Not at this address...

Gardens across the westcountry are struggling as what increasingly looks like a drought hits the region.

Not this one on Bow Street though which is thriving...confusing the owners of dried-up gardens either side.

What's your secret?

No such luck up at St Mary's Church where the Vicar's hollyhocks have dried up and the font's had a hose-pipe ban imposed on it.

While up at Portcullis House old people's home, afternoon leap-frog is being held in the shade today for the first time in 30 years.

 The Langport Arms says sales of ice-cold lager have soared, this group (pictured) almost died during the long trek from the hotel's new TV/sports lounge to the bar in the main building...an inquiry's underway.

- and it's reported so many pint glasses were used, staff had to start pouring lager on decorative plates...they served an extra 250 customers.

If you have any photographs of heat-stricken locals, send them in via this blog's facebook page...over-dramatic exaggerated pictures always welcome, we like to be accurate here at Carry On Langport.

carryonlangport.blogspot.com

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 Check their Facebook page for further information about weekday bookings and other details.

https://www.facebook.com/LangportBoatHire/

or go to the website:

http://www.langportboathire.co.uk/ 

No booking required at weekends, just turn up!

😊

Need a pasty? Fancy a sandwich? Bit of cake?

 Good luck with that.

Not all of us are any good at playing Monopoly, but wouldn't a bakery open before 9am on a weekday be a goldmine? Selling to all the white van men and others who need to stock up for lunch break later in the day?

Oh well, maybe not.

As reported previously on Carry On Langport, the town archives have revealed there used to be a black out curtain shop on the same premises.

It was also closed...between 1939 and 1945.

There are no further details.

carryonlangport.blogspot.com

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DATE FOR YOUR DIARY:

LIVE MUSIC AND FREE TASTERS

Come and celebrate Thai Mango's 3rd anniversary

Feauturing performances by authentic Thai dancers

Sunday 1st July

From 1pm

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Qualified, experienced teacher for grammar, conversation and Cambridge exam preparation.

E-mail bountybar@hotmail.com

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This week's Top 40...

 Straight in at number 8

(Something daft for Wednesday night)

Marti Webb, the actress and singer who has a second home in Langport, has re-released one of her 1980s hit singles to mark the completion of fundraising for the restoration of the town's clock.

Sound quality not too good in this video, not quite sure what you're singing Marti...is that 'Take that muck off your face'? We've been saying the same for years, you can hardly read it.

Who painted your front porch and guttering on North Street last year by the way? 

Splendid job!

carryonlangport.blogspot.com

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Classic cars at Eli's this evening...

 30 or more classic cars are expected to turn up on the cricket field at the Rose and Crown this evening.

Town Councillor Ian Macnab, pictured, says he's got his ready...if you've got one just turn up...no membership or paperwork involved.

It's a monthly event. Back in May some of the vehicles dated back to the Great War, there were also Cortinas, Jaguars, Fords, Volkswagens and even a 2CV.

Some upstart even turned up in a classic Mini.

Why not pop down and admire the vintage upholstery your grandparents spent their evenings on after the dances finished at the Langport Arms in the 1950s.

 

They're there from around 6pm....(not your grandparents....the cars)

carryonlangport.blogspot.com 

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Huish Pool - any news?

 Nope - still digging for victory.

Huish pool still isn't ready. At a cost of over £1 million, it's over budget and overdue. All to make it useable "all year round" as over-excited spokesmen and women keep telling us.

For that money you could've heated it for the next 30 years without a roof and we'd still have our lovely outdoor pool.

How can you beat swimming in the early morning rain or late evening sunshine?

But no, no, no - Huish Academy knows best.

That's it for this evening...tune in again for more stories during the week including:

- How we can help the new staff at a popular takeaway put a kebab together
- Why a popular local youth club now needs 'a licence' for its youngsters to play outside
- the latest hearsay about the Kelways Inn
- and Tesco's plans to open a bar just inside its entrance

Carry On Langport - all your local news in one daft place.

carryonlangport.blogspot.com

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THIS TUESDAY EVENING:

 

Classic cars on the cricket field at Eli's.

From 6 o'clock

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We always knew Langport was filthy...

...but not that filthy.

Customers using Langport Boat Hire on the River Parrett say they're "disgusted" at the behaviour of locals on Cocklemoor this week.

This was the scene as two 'sightseers' attempted a selfie, but unbeknown to them two Whatley residents got themselves into the picture too.

Langport Boat Hire has reportedly offered them their money back but the disgusted tourists said they wouldn't be coming again....unlike the riverbank duo who told reporters they "had a marvellous time"

If you have any photographic contributions of adventures on the river, get them in to carryonlangport.blogspot.com via the blog's Facebook page.

carryonlangport.blogspot.com

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If you book in advance, you can also rent boats on weekday evenings.

Click on the link below for more details:

https://www.facebook.com/LangportBoatHire/

😊

DATE FOR YOUR DIARY:

LIVE MUSIC AND FREE TASTERS

Come and celebrate Thai Mango's 3rd anniversary

Feauturing performances by authentic Thai dancers

Sunday 1st July

From 1pm

😊

NASA scientists descend on Langport

The picture's blurry but NASA experts have confirmed 'the find of the century' on a footpath in Langport this week.

The area's been sealed off and today a robot was sent in to open the tiny black capsule.

"Whatever's inside" said Doctor Ben Dogcraphunter, "we're sure it's been preserved for centuries because the life form which dumped it there kindly wrapped it in a black plastic bag"

Thank god, if it had been put in one of the specially designed containers at Black Bridge or the bottom of Westover which other civilisations use - we would never have discovered it.

 

There are no further details.

Many thanks to the reader who sent in the picture.

Contributions always welcome.

carryonlangport.blogspot.com 

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Testing Testing 1-2-3

   

This is a test

A power surge on Cheapside caused by the new flat screen TV in the Langport Arms has buggered up my Commodore 64.

This means Carry On Langport isn't posting to the world wide web properly.

Please do not adjust your set - back soon.

carryonlangport.blogspot.com

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Hickory Dickory Dock

 

Scaffolding went up the clock...

Well not yet anyway, but it's on its way after the fundraising to give the old boy a facelift reached its £7000 target.

The Cumbria Clock Company, which already maintains and services the Victorian mechanism up inside the roof, is now booked in to come and take down the clock's face(s) in August.

A large part of the cost of the project is the price of the scaffolding, which we believe has to go up and down twice - once to get the clock down and again to get it up again.

Last year the town clerk tried to save the town the expense and do the restoration work himself...

It didn't work.

Now for some fun...

Last week, this blog messaged the Cumbria Clock Company.

We asked if there's any chance the clock can still chime, even when it's taken down...the mechanism is after all inside the town hall roof and not part of the bit we all see in the street.

It's a question that I put to councillors at the Town Assembly earlier this year, it was received with some amusement.

We're delighted to say that the clock company e-mailed Carry On Langport today to say that yes it was indeed possible and that they would ask their engineers this summer to make it so.

"That'll confuse people" said Vicar Jess Pitman, "especially local drunks" she added...as she fell into the back door of The Angel with another crate of Gordon's.

It will indeed....but a town clock that chimes in Langport even though it's in Cumbria seems to be in true Carry On Langport style - bring it on!

The clock's floodlights may also be done up after Tesco agreed to help the fundraising via its blue token collections. That'll happen later in the summer.

Hopefully, that means the lights will finally be 're-aimed'. For years they've missed the clock face completely and shone up into the night sky...

...providing a guiding beacon for local superheroes walking home from drunken nights out in Curry Rivel.

Anyone who needs to know the time urgently during the clock's absence is advised to run over to the library and view its timepiece...before county hall cuts its funding.

That's it for this evening, more news as it comes in....don't forget to scroll down and read the ads (on the main blog site not on the Facebook post)

carryonlangport.blogspot.com

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ALL NEW AT THE LANGPORT ARMS

TV bar now open, through the courtyard at the back

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DATE FOR YOUR DIARY:

LIVE MUSIC AND FREE TASTERS

Come and celebrate Thai Mango's 3rd anniversary

Feauturing performances by authentic Thai dancers

Sunday 1st July

From 1pm

😊

Today at Thorney:

Green Scythe Fair 2018

 (Reading this on Facebook? Click on carryonlangport.blogspot.com to view the full post and its pictures)

What's rapidly becoming one of Somerset's favourite outdoor events is back today (Sun) on the field behind Thorney Lakes camping site.

As always, the UK scything championships take place on the central arena - one event popular with the crowds is the strimmers versus scythers race! It's a great spectator sport and the public are also given the chance to have a go.

Around the grounds you can shop, eat, drink and listen to music - and the children can play.

But for most Carry On Langport readers, we all go to do some hippy spotting and see what they're wearing this season...

Marvellous.

One more thing...
 
Try to stop moaning about the fees on the gates - like the people I ran into at Eli's, Thai Mango Restaurant, the Halfway House, Tesco and on the river bank throughout  the week.

This is a green event and cars are not environmentally friendly which is why they are charged an extra £5 as well as the standard five pounds per person fee.

Forget the fact that the event's in the middle of nowhere, that there are no bus services, that pensioners and families with young children often have no other way of getting there and that lots of people are on limited incomes and would probably rather spend their money inside.

Stop moaning will you, really.

Gates open at 11am, it's a great day out - go take a look.

carryonlangport.blogspot.com

Throwing the cat among the pigeons since 2015

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 CAFE ART TEA ZEN

Great food and good coffee!

Centre of Langport

http://artteazen.co.uk/ 

Tel: 01458-250635 or click on the link above to visit our website.

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No room for family and friends to stay at yours?

ALL'S WELL FARMHOUSE B&B

Pibsbury, between Huish Episcopi & Long Sutton

Tel: 01458-241465

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Summer What's On:

 Dates for your diary...

It's that time of year when the calendar seems to fill up and none of us get to the coast because there's too much going on 'round 'ere.

More dates are still coming in, here's what we've got so far:

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10th June - Green Scythe Fair at Thorney. Watch the UK's top scythers cut local hippies' dreadlocks.  11am til late.

 16th June - Curry Rivel Live. One day music festival at Curry.

 19th June - classic cars on the field at Eli's, early evening.

 23rd June - 'Walk On By', come and support Moor Park Road residents as they try to get down Bow Street without going into Chubbies. (Sponsored event)

1st July - All day celebrations at Thai Mango, Huish (next to the Kelways Inn if you've never been) to celebrate the bar/restaurant's 3rd birthday. Live music and Thai dancers.

 7th July - Pitfest on the playing field at Pitney. 2pm til late.

 14th July - DustFest. Come and help the Langport Arms clean the wall plates in the downstairs bar. (Sponsored event)

 17th July - classic cars on the field at Eli's, early evening.

 21st July - steam engine and tractor convoy from the steam fair at High Ham rolls in to Eli's, teatime-ish.

21st August - classic cars on the field at Eli's, early evening. 

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That's it for the moment.

 The Halfway House has also been in touch to say it doesn't have a date yet but its annual beer festival will take place sometime in September.

 - and remember, throughout the whole of the summer you can now hire kayaks, canoes and pedalos from the river bank at Bow Bridge. They're there all day every weekend (no booking required) and also do weekday evenings (booking required). Click on the link below for more details:

https://www.facebook.com/LangportBoatHire/ 

 

So far this summer, Carry On Langport is averaging out at around 1.5k views per week (Google Statistics) 

There's a small fee for advertising your events or business. If you want a flier/poster/advert published on carryonlangport.blogspot.com then get in touch via the Facebook page, send a carrier pigeon or find the news team in all the usual haunts.

Reading this on/via Facebook?

If you're feeling generous then please click like/follow/share and to see full posts with all their pictures - as always - click on the link below.

carryonlangport.blogspot.com 

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Charity head-shave update...

 Two thousand three hundred quid!

That's how much Langport woman Millie Bown has raised for charity after agreeing to have her hair shaved off in front of a packed crowd at Eli's on Sunday.

 Reading on Facebook? Click on carryonlangport.blogspot.com to view the full post and all its pictures.

Pictured above, posing for pictures just before the sheep shearer moved in, the 20 year-old is donating what she raised - and her hair itself - to the Little Princess Trust. It makes real hair wigs for free for children and young people who've lost their own.

But not everthing went to plan, within minutes the sheers broke down when they hit some One Stop chewing gum and Millie had to be rushed out to the pub's cricket field to finish the job.

 All was well in the end though and our local superstar was soon showing off her new look.

Many thanks to hair stylist Katie Atkins (who drove the ride-on mower), local band Pulk who offered their services for free, to the organisers of the raffle - Cath, Lynne, the two Richards, Sue, Rachael and Dan - and the local businesses who offered prizes and to the Rose and Crown for hosting the event.

Thanks to everyone who turned up and cheered her on.

- and last but not least a big thumbs up to Millie who's raised £2,300 for a worthy cause.

 

 Nearly forgot - thanks also to this St Mary's Park couple who got into the spirit of things with their sponsored 'slide wedge' in the children's play area....they raised 72p.

 

carryonlangport.blogspot.com

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Help Needed - Langport Monthly Market

Langport needs two people to set up and clear the stalls at its market on the last Friday of every month.

It's paid work (£40 per person) between 7-9am and then back again between 2-4pm.

If you're interested contact Cindy on this E-mail address:

market@langport.life

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