LATEST Information
Tuesday December 30th
Festival of Enormous Changes at the Last Minute
​Today in the village
Midnight Mass
​​If you have any news or other contributions you think the village would be interested in please let me know via email or the Contact Website button at the bottom of this page.
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As 2025 meanders out of view, why not take 5 minutes to reflect on its past glories by reading the Village Events 2025 page.​​​​
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​​​- This Week's (still quiet) Diary​ -​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​
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Mon 29th​​
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9:00am Circuit Training, Village Hall *Cancelled*
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Tues 30th​​​​​​​​​
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2:30pm Bowls, Village Hall​​ *Cancelled*
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Wed 31st​​​​​​​​​​​​
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New Years Eve
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10:30am Coffee Morning, Village Hall *Cancelled*
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2:00pm Pickleball, Village Hall *Cancelled*
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8:00pm Caribbean Night, Royal Oak
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Thurs Jan 1st​​​​
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New Years Day
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9:00am Core Strength exercises, Village Hall *Cancelled*
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6:00pm Table Tennis , Village Hall​​​​ *Cancelled*
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6:00pm Benefice choir practice, St Mary Magdalene's​​​​​​ *Cancelled*​​​
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Sat 3rd
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11:30am Bellringing
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​Sunday Motoring Section
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These are the proposed local closures for the beginning of 2026, as well as other works affecting main routes to Minehead, Tiverton, Taunton and South Molton:
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Jan 5th-Mar 6th, B3222 Brushford to Exbridge, 24 hours a day, drainage works
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Jan 5th-17th, A396 south of Exeter Inn, Overnight 7pm-6am, Planning, resurfacing, road marking
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Jan 9th-21st, East St North Molton, 9:00am-3:30pm, bridge fence repairs
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Jan 12th-16th, Stagshead Lane 7am-7pm, pre-surface dressing
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Jan 20th, A396 south of Wheddon Cross, 9:30-3:30, Openreach
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Feb 9th for upto 3 weeks, Cutcombe Hill, closures overnight, traffic lights at other times, structural earthworks
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Feb 16th-20th, Lady Street, Dulverton, National Grid
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March 2nd-13th, Withypool Cross to New Bridge drainage works
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March 17th , A396 Timberscombe overnight 6:30pm-6:00am, Wessex Water
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March 18th-21st, A396 south of Dulverton turn, overnight, 7:00pm-5:00am, surface dressing
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March 19th-23rd B3224 Summerway, Quarme Combe straight, overnight 7:00pm-5:00am, surface dressing
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March 20th-24th B3224 Heathpoult Cross To Goosemoor Cross overnight 7:00pm-5:00am, surface dressing
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March 23rd-24th, Dunkery Rd & Exford Rd, Wheddon Cross, 9:30am-3:30pm, Openreach
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Avon & Somerset police publish a weekly list of where their traffic enforcement cameras will be. It can be viewed here
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Dust off those tropical prints and brightly patterned shirts the Royal Oak is holding a Caribbean Night on New Years Eve. Entrance is free, but there is also an optional buffet for £20 which includes a rum punch.
Festivities kick off around 8pm. Email them at enquiries@royaloakexmoor.co.uk to make a buffet booking.
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The December bumper 100 Club draw, with £100 first prize, has been made.​​
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The winners can be found on our Recreation Association page
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Photo by Elf Jane
Winsford was treated to Father Christmas's annual visit. More than 25 boys and girls met up and chatted with him about all matters such as friends and family as well as noting Christmas presents wished for . A heathy variety of items were requested such as remote control monster trucks, scrum caps, as well as a boyfriend. The elves will do their best we can be sure.
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More photos can be found on the Village Events page ​​
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The contractors for next year's 3 week planned closure of Cutcombe Hill from Feb 9th, have had a rethink and any closures will now be from 7pm to 7am overnight alongside traffic light control during the day, in order to minimise disruption for traffic and local events such as Snowdrop Valley (Jan 24th-Feb 22nd)
The work will install king pin concrete anchors with a supporting concrete beam to ensure the long‑term stability of the road. ​​
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​Waste services for those with Monday collections will be unchanged over the holiday - (as far as I know that's the collection day for everyone in the village, let me know if not).
Garden waste collections are paused until Jan 7th, so nothing on Jan 4th.
It appears that Somerset council are not offering to collect whole Christmas trees with garden waste collections this year. However, charities such as the immensely worthy Children's Hospice South West, will pick up your tree in return for a donation. Trees to be collected can be registered before January 5th here
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Recycling centres are open as normal except Christmas Day, Boxing Day and New Years Day.
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From Somerset Council:
You can dispose of a real Christmas tree by recycling it in the garden waste skips at any recycling centres.
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If you have a lot of wrapping paper, you can take it to a recycling centre where there will be a drop-off point for recyclable wrapping paper. Do not put it in the skips for card. You should put paper which cannot be recycled in general rubbish.
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More holiday details can be found on the Somerset website
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The Royal Oak has announced its holiday opening times:
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​Monday & Tuesday Bar 17:00-22:00 Food 18:00-20:30
New Years Eve ** Bar 17:00 until.... Food - see below
New Years Day *** 12:00-22:00 & Food 12:00-14:00 & 18:00-20:30
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**31st Dec - New Year Reggae Reggae party
*** 1st January - Special post New Year menu
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The Oak Shop times:
Mon 29th-Wed 31st 9-11am
New Years Day - Closed, but papers in box
Fri Jan 2nd 9-11am
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The Parish Council have published the minutes of their November meeting.
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Amongst items discussed were:
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The now collapsed Yellowcombe leat and drainage down Halse Lane​
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Planned forestry works
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Housing online survey
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Roadworks on Dunster Steep and Cutcombe Hill
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Arrangements to fill the councillor vacancy
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The full draft minutes can be viewed here
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Some very good mobile news as now the village appears to be served with both O2 (including Giffgaff, Tesco Mobile, Sky Mobile) and Vodafone (including VOXI, ASDA Mobile, Lebara, and Talkmobile) , on top of the usual EE (Lyca Mobile, 1pMobile, Spusu, Talk Home, Ecotalk, and Utility Warehouse).
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Photos of events that have appeared on this page, and many more, can be found on the Village Events 2025 page
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