Small and medium-sized manufacturers across the South West can now access a share of £800,000 in funding and specialist support to help reduce costs, improve productivity and accelerate digital adoption through the Made Smarter programme. Backed by the Department for Business and Trade through the West of England Mayoral Combined Authority, Made Smarter is designed to help production-based businesses that manufacture physical items to identify and implement technologies that

Zaid Hilal will be performing at the Front Room Theatre on Thursday 25th June at 7.30pm. Zaid is a young Palestinian singer, composer, and music producer from Bethlehem. His music blends traditional Palestinian sounds with contemporary influences, creating a unique and emotionally powerful musical experience. Zaid Hilal (Photo: Supplied) A spokesperson for Zaid Hilal said: “As a folk-pop artist born raised and living precariously in Occupied Palestine, Zaid reimagines herita

The glorious PS Waverley which is the only sea-going passenger carrying paddle steamer in the world, could bring thousands of passengers from Wales and the Upper Channel to Weston-super-Mare once Birnbeck Pier’s landing stage re-opens. Built in 1946, she sailed from Craigendoran on the Firth of Clyde to Arrochar on Loch Long until 1973. Bought by the Paddle Steamer Preservation Society (PSPS), she has been restored to her 1947 appearance and now operates passenger excursions

Push bikes and e-bikes have been involved in almost 100 collisions in Weston-super-Mare since 2020, we can reveal. Of the 93 reported incidents, 55 took place from mid-2022 to 2025, with the remaining 38 occurring between August 2020 and mid-2022, a Freedom of Information Request (FOI) to Avon and Somerset Police has revealed. The force said that five people were seriously hurt in the incidents while 44 sustained slight injuries as a result of the collisions. There were

People with Football Banning Orders in Avon and Somerset are required to surrender their passport by Monday (1 June) ahead of the upcoming FIFA World Cup tournament. A total of 64 people in the area are prohibited from travelling to the USA, Canada and Mexico and attending matches involving England. Anyone who fails to surrender their passport by the deadline could be arrested unless they have applied for an exemption. Football Banning Orders can be issued for any type of foo

Armed police rushed to the scene of the incident on Walliscote Grove Rd yesterday (Thursday 28th) in Weston-super-Mare after receiving reports of a male with a firearm which turned out to be an airsoft gun. Witnesses saw police speeding into Weston-super-Mare from the motorway in unmarked vehicles prior to the incident unfolding in which armed police were seen with their weapons drawn Armed police with guns drawn in Weston-super-Mare (Photo: Supplied) Police identified the ma

A man has been arrested after armed police were called to a street in Weston-super-Mare town centre this afternoon (Thursday, May 28). Armed police on Walliscote Grove Rd (Photo: Supplied) Police were called to Walliscote Grove Road at around 2.12pm following reports of a suspected firearm inside a residential property. Armed officers attended the scene and arrested a man on suspicion of possessing a firearm. He remains in police custody while enquiries continue. A suspected

Weston-super-Mare Armed Forces and Emergency Services Day is returning to the Beach Lawns on Saturday 20th June 2026 promising a full day of celebration, entertainment, and community spirit. - https://weston-afd.co.uk/ Photo: Weston Town Council The arena will be shared by Armed Forces and Emergency Services displays, offering a full day of activities for all ages and providing an opportunity to show appreciation for local veterans and Armed Forces families. You can expect to

North Somerset Council has completed a programme of shop refurbishments in Weston‑super‑Mare town centre, supported by £20 million of Government funding. Funded by the Local Regeneration Fund, the programme has focused on improving several vacant and underused units on the High Street and within the Sovereign Shopping Centre as part of the council’s Improving Weston programme. Four High Street properties were refurbished between November 2024 and September 2025, with up

Yesterday (Tuesday 26 May), youth councillors from Weston-super-Mare Youth Council met in Ellenborough Park East to decorate a new mental health bench. The Weston-super-Mare Town Council grounds team painted it green to symbolise mental health, and this was followed by youth councillors painting a rainbow of flowers across it. Photo: Weston-super-Mare Youth Council A spokesperson for the Youth Council said; “It is located in the corner of the park under a tree, so it is in th

North Somerset Council has put emergency support measures in place to help homeless people during the ongoing heatwave. The authority has activated its severe weather emergency protocol (SWEP) due to the exceptionally high temperatures. In Weston-super-Mare, the Somewhere To Go rough sleeper outreach team is handing out sun cream and bottled water to vulnerable people in the area. Temporary overnight accommodation is also being offered by the charity to individuals with medi

After three years without a Pride event in the town, Weston-super-Mare is preparing for the return of Pride — and organisers say this year’s celebrations are about far more than just one day in the park. On Saturday 27 June, hundreds of people are expected to take part in a Pride march through Weston town centre before gathering in Grove Park for a free community celebration featuring live music, performers, food, stalls and family activities. For event coordinator Sarah Hamm

A play park in Weston-super-Mare created for children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) has suffered further vandalism after a specialist trampoline was set alight. The incident happened at Castle Batch All-Inclusive SEND Play Park on Bishport Avenue in North Worle. Weston-super-Mare Town Council said it is the second time in three weeks the equipment has been damaged. The trampoline had only recently been replaced following an earlier act of vandalism. T

Dan Aldridge, MP for Weston-super-Mare, has backed new Government action to crack down on organised crime gangs exploiting Britain’s high streets through rogue businesses. The Government has announced a £30 million nationwide crackdown targeting dodgy barber shops, vape stores, mini-marts and sweet shops involved in money laundering and other criminal activity. These businesses will face raids, closure orders and cash seizures as part of a new drive to clean up Britain’s high

Weston’s live entertainment scene is about to get a lot more fabulous as Drag Bingo UK arrives at The Grand Pier on Saturday 19 September 2026. Created by award-winning drag performer Miss Demeanour, Drag Bingo UK transforms traditional bingo into a fully interactive night of live vocals, drag performances, audience games, iconic music and complete camp chaos. “We always say it’s less about the bingo and more about the atmosphere,” says Miss Demeanour.m “We just want people t

North Somerset Council’s New Hobby? Going Through Your Rubbish… North Somerset Council has announced that staff at Weston-super-Mare recycling centre will soon begin opening and inspecting bags of rubbish to make sure residents are not disposing of recyclable materials incorrectly. Invasion of privacy or environmental activism? (Photo: A.I) The new “bag sorting” policy forms part of a wider overhaul of waste services across the region. The council intends to introduce the sch

Avon Fire & Rescue Service (AF&RS), in partnership with the RNLI, is hosting a fun, family-friendly water-safety event in Weston-super-Mare from 26th to the 29th of May on the beach in front of the Grand Pier. Perfect if you are looking for a free, child friendly activity. If you are visiting Weson-Super-Mare this half term then you can take part in throw-line demonstrations, hands-on activities, and have the chance to meet firefighters and lifeboat crews. The event is desig

Today, police officers from the Weston Town Centre team set up a portable metal detector at the Sovereign Centre as a part of Operation Sceptre (Op Sceptre); a national policing initiative aimed at tackling knife crime and serious violence. The walk through metal detector in operation at the Sovereign Centre (Photo: Avon & Somerset Police” Using a walk-through metal detector, police engaged with members of the public and carried out reassurance checks, helping to deter anyone

Over 1,500 potholes in 366 locations have been repaired by North Somerset Council in April thanks to the use of specialist equipment. And the repairs will continue throughout May with an average of 400 holes being filled each week, depending on the weather the council has said. NSC have deployed a spray injection patcher – a specialist piece of equipment that uses high velocity air to clean debris then sprays material to fill holes instantly. Repairs take around two minutes t

Kasper Stankiewicz, of Congresbury, appeared before Bristol Crown Court this week accused of causing death by dangerous driving. The court was told that on September 10, 2024, Stankiewicz attempted to overtake another vehicle on the A370 near Puxton Park, where he collided with an oncoming motorbike. The motorbike was being ridden by Alfie Gray, who tragically died at the scene. A trial was held to determine whether the 19-year-old was guilty of causing death by careless driv