Langport bypass? Where's that then?

 Drivers scramble to find 'alternative' route described in local paper.

Drivers in South Somerset have been left scratching their heads after the Western Gazette and its online sister 'Somerset Live' hinted that there could be an alternative route none of us know about which goes around 'Langport's narrow streets'

The story accurately reports the collision between a recycling lorry and bus last week outside Scrivens. The two got wedged together and caused chaos in the town.

The vehicles only managed to prize themselves free after staff from Boilertec and Langport Hardware ran out with a can of WD40.

It's the end of the reporting that doesn't quite add up:

The words (last paragraph) which have baffled all of us

Which way's that then?

Frog Lane and down the drove to Black Bridge? Or go the otherside, down the river bank to Stuckey's Island and catch a P&O car ferry to Coombe?

If you find the 'normal route' the paper says the recycling lorry uses instead of Langport's narrow streets - let us know.

Next week: read how the Ark of the Covenant is kept under a crate of haddock at Pendra's.

That's it for this evening - scroll down for advertising.

There are no further details.

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How big's your crack?

What a beauty!

Carry On Langport is appealing for pictures of cracked lawns as part of its Drought 2018 coverage.

Some spotted this week go down as much as a foot.

Not all doom and gloom though, there are some awesome sunflowers round and about.

Send pictures of yours in with you, family, friend - anyone - posing next to it.

Enjoy the heat - bit cooler today after some sort of wet stuff fell out the sky last night.

Still no icecreams in the freezer at One Stop...try Fosters (the Newsagent, not the lager)

Go steady.

E-mail crack and sunflower pictures to bountybar@hotmail.com with details of location if pos.

Cheers folks.

carryonlangport.blogspot.com 

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Drought 2018: update

Slug spotted on Bow Street

As lawns continue to crack, gardens carry on drying up and pavements melt across Langport and Huish - Sir David Attenborough says he's "amazed" a slug got up Bow Street, around Post Office corner and up Priest Lane on Wednesday night.

The award winning broadcaster and naturalist told Carry On Langport a molusc hasn't been seen across the UK since the end of May, when the current heatwave kicked in.

Sir David believes the 30 gallons of water pouring out of the town hall's hanging baskets everytime the automatic watering system switches on at night may have aided the creature on its epic journey.

 If you see the slug, now believed to be heading to the Vicar's bird bath in Huish Episcopi, send your pictures in via this blog's Facebook page.
 
There are no further details.

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Take it home with you...

 You dirty buggers.

A message to some of our young people:

Black Bridge car park this week

Reading on Facebook? Click on carryonlangport.blogspot.com to view this post with all its pictures.

As the hot weather continues and the school/college holidays begin, it's normal to see groups of young people out on Langport and Huish's beautiful moors and country lanes - socialising and enjoying themselves.

But we have a question for you and it's becoming a bit of a local mystery:

If you can manage to carry your fizzy drinks and snacks when you set out on your journeys, how come it's so difficult to get them back? Surely the cans, plastic bottles and wrappers are lighter once they're empty?

A grass verge on the drove behind Westover

Nope, apparently not.

While not having the energy to carry your mess home (despite the energy drinks some of you seem to be addicted to) you do seem to muster up the strength to throw it into the river.

Cans & bottles in the water at the railway bridge

Extraordinary.

One defence put forward by you may be that "there are no litter bins down there"

There never have been you numpties - and what sort of an excuse is that anyway?!

Do you like living around here? Yeah, we do too...because of the way it looks.

So take your litter home with you, you dirty buggers.

carryonlangport.blogspot.com

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No booking required at weekends, just turn up!

We do some weekday evenings too - for more details, click on the link below to go to our Facebook page:

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

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Chaos on Bow Street...

 Number 54 and recycling lorry collide outside Scrivens

Langport was brought to a standstill this morning as the recycling lorry and the bus to Taunton got wedged together as they passed by on Bow Street.

Some of those onboard the public transport were thrown through the bus windows into the hatches on the side of the recycling truck and had to be rescued by council workers.

Passengers 'recycled'

"A man in a hi-vis vest got me out of the metal collection hatch but asked me if I fancied leaving my knee replacement inside" said a distressed Somerton woman, "it's a disgrace...I've only had it 3 weeks"

- and there are reports an Eastover student eating a Ginsters pasty from One Stop had his snack thrown down the food shute.

"Luckily, the automatic food sensors rejected it and it was spat back out again" said the 17 year-old, "I found it in a hanging basket outside The Town Hall...it was still soggy as well, I was delighted"

The road was completely blocked for over an hour but there there were no serious injuries.

Many thanks to all those who sent in photographs. Coincidentally, you all added the word 'chaos' to your pictures.

Marvellous, we'll have you writing Carry On Langport's headlines is no time.

carryonlangport.blogspot.com

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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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Need a lift? Stuck at the pub? Don't wanna walk home?

WAGG DROVE TAXIS

"Don't call us....we're as buggered as you are"

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High Ham:

Nothing happens in the country, nothing to see here...

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

Many thanks for the pictures, for legal reasons we can't publish all of them (I didn't know you could do that with an old boiler)

Thanks for messages of support and carry on reading!

carryonlangport.blogspot.com

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 Carry On Langport [carryonlangport.blogspot.com] is chugging along quite nicely at about 2000 views per week at the moment. (Google Statistics)

For a tiny fee - you can advertise your business or event here with a picture of your works van, shop front, staff, products etc.

Get in touch via the Facebook page or find the news team in all the usual haunts.

 - and we're cheaper than the other lot!

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Just another day...

...at Langport Tesco

carryonlangport.blogspot.com

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Come and see the 'stately home' on your doorstep!

HURDS HILL OPEN GARDEN - SUNDAY

Surrounded by trees on three sides, many locals don't even know it's there...(bit like All Saints Hall)

With views over the moors and stunning floral displays, money raised on Sunday goes to St Margaret's Hospice.

Head out of Langport over Bow Bridge and it's round the corner on the left.

Cream teas available - Gates open 2pm

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Got an hour to spare tonight?

This story has been edited since its publication this morning.

Get up the sports club if you care about its future...

There's a meeting of Langport and Huish Sports and Social club tonight to discuss how to and who should run the place.

Management past and present, members and non members are all urged to go up for a half seven start.

What's it all about?

For one reason or another, the club's been losing management committee members in recent months/weeks.

So get some more in.

Not that simple, not everyone's got time or is interested - so tonight's meeting is about fishing around for more....but according to our sources, the gathering up the club later is also "a warning"

About what?

It's believed if there's a void on the management committee then local town and/or parish councillors may be placed on it.

Not sure if that's either Langport or Huish councils' intention but they do already partly fund the Memorial Ground - that's the land that the club and its facilities sit on.

"What's wrong with local councillors sitting on the management committee of a sports and social club?" we asked.

"Look at the state of affairs up at Somerton" was the frank answer Carry On Langport got from a handful of Langport and Huish club supporters alarmed at the prospect of local parish and town councillors 'muscling in' if nobody steps in to run the club...which doesn't even have a chairman at present.

That is, apparently, where we are at the moment.

Whatever the rights and wrongs, let's see what tonight's meeting brings.

It's at 7.30pm.

Everybody's welcome and by the sounds of it - needed.

carryonlangport.blogspot.com 

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No booking required at weekends, just turn up!

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Change of career?

What about farming?

We live in Somerset after all, so why not have a change of career this year?

Carry On Langport now runs a monthly careers service and to kick things of we are delighted to introduce this training video:

'An Introduction to Farming'

Many thanks to the South Wales Shredders for supplying this promotional footage.

Next month: how to sabotage diggers sent in to fell trees and hedges on housing land.

Sponsored by the Carry On Langport careers service.

carryonfarming.blogspot.com 

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Housing plan voted through

80 homes on the way opposite Kelways

The fight against the Persimmon Homes plan to build on the old trial ground opposite the former Kelways Inn was lost today by just one vote.

The developer now has permission from South Somerset District Council to go ahead with its project, which includes ripping out the beech hedge/avenue which goes right across the middle of the land.

A number of Langport and Huish residents, including some Langport town councillors, are now considering setting up an action group to fight or appeal against aspects of the application.

Its aims are believed to be: 1) to make sure Persimmon don't 'accidentally' fell the chestnut trees along the main road which all have tree preservation orders on them.

- and 2) to see if the beech hedge can be saved.

It's early days but Carry On Langport understands 'look-outs' are being sought - people who can alert everyone on Facebook the day Persimmon sends in the diggers/chainsaws...those people would then turn up on site and attempt to stop the work.

Bit far fetched or achievable? It's happened in other parts of the UK.

Either way and whatever takes shape, we'll try to keep you posted.

Quick musical interlude:

More on this story as it comes in.

carryonlangport.blogspot.com

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DATE FOR YOUR DIARY:

KEEP THURSDAY EVENING FREE!

 Important public meeting at Langport and Huish Sports and Social Club regarding its future.

It needs your support or it could all go pear-shaped

Go and find out what's going on - 7.30pm start - spread the word.

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Persimmon Homes

 Here we go again...

It feels a bit like that, yet another South Somerset District Council meeting on the controversial house-building application for the Trial Ground opposite the former Kelways Inn.

At the last committee meeting, the Persimmon Homes plan was rejected by district councillors who liked neither the road layout (too narrow for a fire engine and probably even the recycling/refuse lorries) nor the design of the 80 proposed dwellings.

Today (Tues), at 10am, there's a meeting of The Regulation Committee in Yeovil which may well vote the application through provided - we believe - that Persimmon agree to a few conditions. One of them isn't the retention of the beech hedge/avenue which goes right down through the middle of the land.

That's despite the fact that virtually all public correspondence received by the council objects to its removal.

To be honest, rather than criticise house design and road layout, many locals would rather the land weren't built on at all - have you seen the state of weekday morning traffic through Langport? - and now we're thinking of adding what could be at least another 80 vehicles to that problem.

Today's meeting is open to the public and you're allowed to speak before any vote.

 

There's a pretty good write-up of the story so far on page 4 of the July issue of Levelling Langport magazine.

If you're not a reader, at least look at the editor's last paragraph entitled 'Prediction'. Frank words but he's probably right...it's happened before...many times.

Turn back to page 2 and there's another piece about it, a letter from the leader of Huish Episcopi Parish Council putting the record straight on a few issues.

Click on the link below and you are taken to a list of district councillors who vote on the application tomorrow, their e-mail addresses are also provided:

http://modgov.southsomerset.gov.uk/mgCommitteeDetails.aspx?ID=140

 

Persimmon appear to have a somewhat demonic reputation throughout the UK, check out this Facebook page about them:

https://www.facebook.com/AVOIDPERSIMMONHOMES/

So there ya go, by lunchtime today the fatcats at Persimmon could well be rubbing their hands together - so much for democracy eh?

Rumour has it there's a small but growing number of locals who are prepared to get out and attempt to stop the diggers ripping out the beech hedge when the day comes...are you one of them?

Have a think.

That's it for this evening, fight the good fight folks and carry on reading. The blog's getting around 2000 views per week this month, if you want to advertise - get in touch.

carryonlangport.blogspot.com

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CLASSIC CAR NIGHT

ELI'S CRICKET FIELD

TODAY (TUES) FROM AROUND 6PM

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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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Biggest chopper in Langport...

 Spotted going down Bow Street

Details are still coming in, more later.

carryonlangport.blogspot.com

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Carry On Langport's leftovers...

Just no room to squeeze them in...maybe next week!

Like a good slap-up meal, Carry On Langport usually has some leftovers...stories we couldn't get in before the end of the week.

There's nothing wrong with them, just can't squeeze them in.

Nevertheless, here they are...a few quick snippits, no time for pictures, to give you a flavour of some of the stories landing on our news desk at the moment.

Back to the future?

A growing number of Huish Episcopi residents say there's something in the air that reminds them of life in the village in the 70s and 80s when stinking the place out (you could smell it down in Langport too) wasn't against regulations. Smells like a dodgy BBQ. Does somebody need to check their air filters?

Bow-wow on Bow Street...

A handful of people living on Bow Street, particularly on the town hall side stretching down to Scrivens...have been asking about the dog which has been barking in a back garden every afternoon and evening since anyone can remember. At a time when everyone's got their windows open in the heat...I'm afraid we can't publish the language in some of the e-mails we've received...nor can we condone shooting the animal with an airgun suspended on a drone.

Confused?

Pibsbury residents say they're delighted their hamlet's signs have re-appeared. There's now one on the corner up at the Russel farm and another opposite the B&B at the Long Sutton end. The fact that there's a 'welcome to Huish Episcopi' sign smack-bang in the middle near the old garage appears to be confusing 'non-locals' though. Marvellous. That's what we want.

Thank you Pitfest

Many messages of congratulations have come in for the organisers of Pitfest last Saturday. A fine setting with some great music and "how pleasing not to be fleeced on the gate" said one reader. Yes, it was just £5 to get in folks, leaving the public to spend their hard-earned cash on the inside.
Organisers of events in other nearby villages - take note!

Park in Langport and walk up!

We're still receiving monthly moans and photographs of traffic chaos on both sides of the Hanging Chapel when the Freemasons meet and pretty much [allegedly] "park where they want" (not our words) Residents have taken photographs, drivers have been stuck in Bond's Pool and people have even been up and banged on the door of the lodge to complain. But nothing's changed apparently. Having said that, important to point out that the lodges that meet in the chapel have made generous donations to local causes recently including the campaign to restore Langport clock.

Finally...

We all just pass them by every day without a second look, but as we head in to mid-July....let's remind ourselves how great the flags look this summer. A big pat on the back to those who funded them, made them and to the team who run up and down ladders all summer sorting them out when they get tangled up. Good on you!

Thanks for all your contributions.

carryonlangport.blogspot.com

Throwing the cat among the pigeons since 2015.

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No booking required at weekends, just turn up!

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A special message to England fans...

From Boney M

"Stop playing the bleedin' Three Lions song, raise your glass to Southgate and blast the neighbours with this beauty..."

carryonlangport.blogspot.com

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Thursday bulletin:

Reading on Facebook? Click on carryonlangport.blogspot.com to view complete story.

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As the tide comes in this evening, Langporters keep an eye out for the pensioner missing on a lie low in Burnham-on-Sea since Tuesday...

Curry Rivel's Vicar gets 'Bike Night' times wrong again at Eli's...

Chaos as runway number 2 melts at Pitney Airstrip...

- and as lawns continue to dry out across Somerset, this undercover detective tells us about the size of the crack he saw in Huish Episcopi...

 That's it for this evening, just before we go...

DATE FOR YOUR DIARY

For those of you campaigning against (or even for!) the Trial Ground housing development opposite the Kelways Inn, a final decision may be made at the district council offices in Yeovil next week.

On Tuesday (17th) what's known as 'The Regulation Committee' is meeting and discussing (and possibly ruling on) the controversial Persimmon Homes application for 80 homes which will also see the beech hedge ripped out - it straddles the land from Kelways right down to the back of Garden City.

The meeting's at 10am and is open to the public. Members of the public may also stand up and address the committee before it starts its discussions.

carryonlangport.blogspot.com

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