By Harry Mottram: After making a general enquiry on the website of West Country Water and Environment – the umbrella group behind Cheddar Reservoir 2 – I received the following reply: “Good morning Harry, Thank you for your email to the Cheddar 2 Reservoir and Transfer project. Following our first consultation on the project in Autumn 2025 we’re still considering the valuable feedback received, alongside ongoing survey work, and continuing discussions with stakeholders to inform the project’s development. We appreciate residents’ interest in the project, and we will be holding another round of consultation before any planning application is submitted. At this consultation we will present further information on how the project has progressed and provide communities and stakeholders with another opportunity to give their input and help shape the project. We don’t have a date for the consultation currently.”
Previously West Country Water and Environment (WCWE) held consultations last September which included an exhibition on plans in Axbridge Town Hall. Concerns voiced by residents included the amount of land around the reservoir construction site south of the existing one that would be affected, the access road to a new filtration complex next to the one on the Axbridge side of the reservoir from the A371, congestion around the ‘the magic roundabout’ due to the proposed Lidl on Upper New Road and new homes, and in general the effects on life in general due to a vast new construction project.
Related to the above the proposed new estate off Orchard Road in Axbridge is still on the agenda for this year according to developer Strongvox of Taunton, and Lidl have also previously said they will put forward further plans later this year for the new store. Both projects together with Cheddar Reservoir 2 will first need to go through the planning stage.
Town Trust
The Trust who look after the Grade 2 Listed Town Hall and The Square held a meeting on February 15, 2026. Writing on social media (Axbridge Community Facebook) they reported: “Matters discussed included: Mr Timothy Chard has been appointed Chair of Axbridge Town Trust, as of the 2 Feb 2026. He takes on the role from Mr Cedric (Ric) Canham. Mr Richard Parsons is the new vice-chair. The Town Hall’s new front door has been adjusted to improve the fit. The planters in the square, are being replaced. Quotes are still being sought for maintenance work to the roof of the town hall, and various required carpentry work.”
The Trust operate a fundraising draw called the Town Trust 150 Club with cash prizes – to join or to find out more email chairman@axbridgetownhall.co.uk The draw raises money for the maintenance and enhancement of the Town Hall and Axbridge Town Square. The Trust also reminded residents the town hall which has been updated and modernised is available for hire via The Clerk to the town trust. clerk@axbridgetownhall.co.uk
The Guardian and The Res
The national newspaper and news website has reported on Cheddar Reservoir’s bird life. Writing for The Guardian Stephen Moss recorded a visit to the reservoir noting many of the species of birds there. He penned: “After weeks of heavy rain, Cheddar reservoir in Somerset is finally full again – of water, and of birds. Thousands of coots, hundreds of gulls and ducks, and dozens of great crested grebes crowd the surface, some already moulting into their smart breeding plumage, crests and all.”
He also spotted tufted ducks and red-necked grebes. I don’t know about you, but it is gratifying that a national newspaper has taken an interest in our wild birds and Cheddar Reservoir!
Bird flu
While on the subject of wild birds the Bird Flu control zone that was set up on 30 January 2025 has now been lifted. The control zone centred on Dunwear, restricted the movement of poultry and birds in a 3km area around the east side of Bridgwater. Defra confirmed that following five weeks of restrictions, they consider the “completion of disease control activity and surveillance” to have been a success. All restrictions on bird movements and recording of access to bird enclosures have been lifted (with effect from 3 February 2026).
Axbridge Surgery
Sadly these days I’m a regular visitor to Axbridge Surgery – but even passer-byes will have noticed the builders are on site. In a statement published online Axbridge and Wedmore Surgeries reported: “Applications were recently invited for a national £102 million NHS England fund aimed at modernising GP premises across the country, supporting over 1,000 practices. This funding is primarily intended for refurbishment, reconfiguration, and more effective use of existing space. We are very pleased to announce that Axbridge Surgery has been awarded 100% funding, and Wedmore Surgery 66% funding, to support planned reconfigurations. We are extremely grateful to the Wedmore and Axbridge Health Fund, who have generously agreed to cover the remaining 34% shortfall for Wedmore (£42,000), as well as the costs of equipping each new clinical room.”
The work means there will be five additional clinical rooms at Axbridge and one at Wedmore. Axbridge Surgery will remain open throughout the works, which are expected to take up to 12 weeks with an end date around Easter – confirmed Dr Ewart Jackson-Voyzey and Dr Josephine McHugh GP Partners at the practice.
Flooding
Axbridge is built mainly above the flood plain of The Levels but any visitor to much of the Somerset Levels around Currymoor, Northmoor, Saltmoor, and the moors upstream of Langport (including Huish Episcopi, Midelney and Westover) will have seen the vast areas of land under water. Somerset Council – in what they call a Multi-Agency Response – working ‘in line with the principles of the Avon and Somerset Local Resilience Forum plan, the Recovery Working Group – is continuing to plan and work toward the recovery operation.’
The Environment Agency have added pumps at: Dunball, Northmoor, Saltmoor, Elson’s Clyce, Westonzoyland and Bridgwater Canal and Docks – and say they are working 24 hours a day to pump out the flood water. The A361 between East Lyng and Burrowbridge, along with Cutts Road, the Langport to Muchelney Road and New Road, West Lyng has been badly affected by flooding.
A Somerset Council spokesperson said: “We’re fully aware of the ongoing impact of flooding on many communities in Somerset, including businesses who have lost trade due to emergency road closures.”
Potholes
Some of the worst potholes in Old Church Road and Cheddar Road in Axbridge have been filled but others remain with new ones opening up as weaknesses in the road surface quickly deteriorates. Somerset Council said they have doubled the number of crews working to repair the thousands of potholes in the county, but say they need more money from the central government to help. The government said it has awarded the council up to £46 million for repairs this year.
“We’ve got 4,170 miles of road in Somerset,” said Councillor Richard Wilkins. “It’s an incredible amount of road. We need more money, we need to put more investment into our infrastructure.”
It is easy to report a pothole or damaged road surface to Somerset Council by visiting https://www.somerset.gov.uk/roads-travel-and-parking/potholes-and-road-damage/ and completing the online form. Ideally include a photo. Axbridge Town Council also report potholes to Somerset Highways.
Bristol Airport
If you are jetting off for a holiday from the airport there are developments taking place including a clamp down on some of the offsite illegal parking sites which are cheaper for parking than the official ones at the airport. There is also new signage enforcing no stopping or waiting in the lane directly off the Airport roundabout installed and new parking restrictions for the Bridle Cottage layby on the A38 near the Fox and Goose, limiting waiting for a maximum of two hours.
There are bus services to and from the airport including the Falcon which stops at Shute Shelve – about a mile from Axbridge Square. Drop off charges start at £8.50 – for up to 10 minutes. Details at https://www.bristolairport.co.uk/parking/drop-off-and-pick-up/
Drama in the Town Hall
Axbridge Community Theatre are staging J B Priestly’s play I Have Been Here Before. Directed by John Bailey (who directed the last three pageants and numerous ACT plays) the drama is one of Priestly’s ‘Time Plays’ which imply that at certain times we seem to be able briefly to look back into the past in a moment of déjà vu. Set in an isolated pub on the Yorkshire Moors the play features the arrival of a mysterious stranger who appears to have some sort of insight into the past and future. Written before the war I Have Been Here Before was the third in the Time Plays – and you may have seen An Inspector Calls or even Time and The Conways which ACT staged in The Lion in Axbridge in the past.
The play is in complete contrast to the last drama ACT staged – Vardy v. Rooney: The Wagatha Christie Trial – which followed the court case that pitted Coleen Rooney against Rebekah Vardy who sued Rooney for libel. In that production Jude Wilson had a break out performance as a sort of Jeff Stelling type commentator – but in I Have Been Here Before he is a very different character as young headmaster Oliver Farrant. The cast also includes Sian Tutill, Phil Saunders, Tony Wilson, Liz Browne and Chris Jarman.
The play runs from 25th to 28th March 2026 in Axbridge Town Hall and then 31st March to 1st April (Bristol) – tickets on sale at: Axbridge Community Theatre event tickets from TicketSource. Also Buy Tickets – I Have Been Here Before by J.B. Priestley – Alma Tavern and Theatre Axbridge tickets are also available in the Post Office.
Rehearsal photography – Adam Clutterbuck
Artwork – Lucid Dreaming II by Barry Cawston
Axbridge Diary
I try to keep this diary of what’s on in the town up to date – so do send in your events to me as it gets thousands of reads a month. See https://www.harrymottram.co.uk/diary/
Note: I get asked this frequently so just to repeat I write up these stories from time to time out of personal interest – all the information is in the public domain – I put it together, so it makes sense to me. I am not paid – my main job is covering Bath for Bath Voice News and ICSM of Bridgwater which is about business insolvencies.
Harry is a freelance journalist. Follow him on Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, Instagram, Blue Sky, YouTube etc
Email:harryfmottram@gmail.com
Website:www.harrymottram.co.uk
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