Yeovil Town Centre Pavements Repaired After Damage From Works

Yeovil’s pavements in the town center, which were damaged by a utility firm almost a year ago, have been fixed. Somerset Council undertook improvements to the paving by High Street and Wine Street. This is part of the council’s effort to make Yeovil more inviting for residents, visitors, and investors.

Tarmac caused damage to the fresh paving in the summer of 2024. This was due to work done by SSE PLC, separate from the council’s upgrades. The council stated that the paving stones would be replaced, and this was completed on Monday, February 17, at no additional cost to taxpayers.

The council announced the repairs on Facebook, stating that they were fixing the paving damage on Yeovil’s High Street caused by utility work last summer. SSE will be covering the costs of these repairs.

While some people are pleased that SSE is paying for the repairs, others have criticized the slow response. Justin John agreed it was quite right. George Poulson hopes the job is done well and matches the original paving quality.

Dave Gale commented that the fix was “too little, too late” and that contractors should have communicated with SSE. He believes this incident highlights a lack of planning, contributing to disruption in the town for years, with even more to deal with now.

The new amphitheater at The Triangle is now complete, marking the end of public upgrades within the Yeovil Refresh project. The council plans to demolish Glovers Walk to make way for homes and shops. Improvements to Yeovil bus station are also being considered.

Andrew Beamish expressed frustration with the length of time the repairs took, noting that they were scheduled multiple times. He claimed the council lacks planning and communication skills, failing to take ownership or deliver on their promises.

Councillor Oliver Patrick explained that the delays were often beyond the council’s control, citing supply chain problems at the quarry. Quarry issues also impacted another project, leading to a change in the stone used for a Taunton project in November 2024.

Mr. Patrick stated that stone was prioritized to complete The Triangle, and machinery breakdowns at the quarry caused further stone delays. He expressed gratitude to council staff and councillors for their persistence and noted he was glad to see the repairs get underway.