Issue #4 | Tuesday 23 June 2026

Good morning, Mendips! This Saturday sees rock legend Arthur Brown — the man who sang "Fire" and headlined the very first Pyramid Stage at Worthy Farm — playing an all-day festival at the Art Bank in Shepton Mallet. It's a brilliant week across the hills, with outdoor theatre at Bishop's Palace, NT Live in Wells, and some seriously warm weather to start. Here's your full guide...

📸 Arthur Brown & Friends at Shepton Midsummer Festival — this week's featured event
📅 What's On This Week — events across the Mendips
🎬 Films at Wells Film Centre
📰 In Other News — five local stories
🌡️ Weather — Wells BA5 forecast

This Saturday 27 June brings one of the summer's most exciting music events to Shepton Mallet: an all-day festival at The Art Bank on the High Street, headlined by rock legend Arthur Brown and his band. Doors open at 3pm, with the headline set running from 8:30pm to 10:30pm. It's part of the Shepton Mallet Midsummer Festival — a ten-day community arts extravaganza run by the Let's Buy the Amulet collective across multiple venues in the town. The all-dayer has already sold out, but it's a brilliant reason to visit Shepton and explore the wider festival while it's still running.

Arthur Brown is British rock royalty. His 1968 hit "Fire" reached number one on both sides of the Atlantic, and he has been a cult favourite ever since — renowned for theatrical live performances involving full body paint and, famously, a burning helmet. He has a special connection to this part of Somerset: in 1970, he headlined the very first Pilton Pop Festival on Worthy Farm, the event that would eventually grow into Glastonbury Festival. His song "Fire" also features on the soundtrack of Hot Fuzz — the cult comedy filmed right here in Wells.

Even if you missed out on tickets, the Midsummer Festival has plenty more on this week. Thursday night brings Beans on Toast with Izzie Yardley and DJ Queen Kong to the Art Bank (£15, doors 6:30pm), and the festival closes on Sunday 28 June with the Prison Yard Party. Full programme at buytheamulet.org.uk — explore the free and ticketed events running across Shepton Mallet until the final curtain falls this Sunday.

→ Full festival programme at Let's Buy the Amulet

→ Full listings and booking at Wells Film Centre

🏊 Millfield Prep swimmers win national title — for the 38th year

The 33-strong swimming squad at Street's Millfield Preparatory School has claimed the IAPS National Swimming Finals title in London for the 38th consecutive year. Both the girls' team (38 years in a row) and the boys' team (24 years in a row) took first place against competition from independent schools across the country. It is a remarkable record for a local school and a proud moment for Street and the wider Mendip community.

Read full story → (Glastonbury Nub News)

🚧 Whitnell Corner crash blackspot gets a £4m roundabout

Safety works have begun at Whitnell Corner near West Horrington — a notorious junction on the B3139/B3135 that has seen 67 collisions over 20 years, including one fatal crash. Somerset Council's £4 million scheme, funded by a government road safety grant, will replace the junction with a new roundabout. A full road closure is expected for around six months. Drivers travelling between Wells and the Chew Valley are advised to plan alternative routes throughout the works.

Read full story → (Somerset Council)

🍷 Wells Festival of Literature announces Oz Clarke

The Wells Festival of Literature has announced that wine expert, broadcaster and author Oz Clarke will appear at this year's October event. Clarke — known for his bestselling books, TV work alongside Hugh Johnson, and a career spanning four decades — is one of the most entertaining voices in the world of wine. The festival runs 16–24 October 2026 in Wells. Full programme and tickets are available at the festival website.

Read full story → (Wells Nub News)

🚗 AutoFest UK's 10th anniversary coming to Shepton Mallet

The South West's original and biggest motorsport festival returns to the Bath & West Showground on 3–5 July, celebrating its 10th anniversary. Expect supercar displays, live drift demonstrations, passenger drift rides, a classic car show, live music and a funfair. It's shaping up to be a big weekend for Shepton Mallet. Tickets and full details are available at autofestuk.com — previous years have been popular so book ahead.

Read full story → (Bath & West Showground)

🏗️ Four Mendip towns narrowly avoided a no-new-homes freeze

Glastonbury, Street, Wells and Shepton Mallet were named in a rejected Somerset Council option that would have left all four towns without new housing allocations in the county's next major planning document. The option — considered but ultimately discarded during Somerset's Local Plan review — would have made it harder to challenge inappropriate development in those areas. The revelation has prompted fresh debate about housing pressures across the Mendips and what the final Local Plan will mean for our communities.

Read full story → (Shepton Mallet Nub News)

🌡️ Wells BA5 Weather — Week of 23 June 2026

It's set to be a scorching start to the week — Wells is forecast to reach 34°C on Tuesday, rising to a sweltering 36°C on Wednesday, with UKHSA amber heat alerts in force across the South West. A welcome cool-down arrives mid-week, with the weekend settling into a much more comfortable 23°C with sunshine. Stay hydrated, take it easy in the midday heat, and enjoy those warm Somerset evenings while they last.

→ Full 7-day forecast on BBC Weather

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