Town 'could get its own Christmas market'

Daniel Mumby
Local Democracy Reporting Service
Handout Wide shot of the new amphitheatre in Yeovil town centre with Poundland in the background  Handout
Yeovil MP, Adam Dance, says he'd love to see a green park with pop-up markets in the town especially at Christmas time

Yeovil could have a Christmas market like the famous ones in Bath or Dorchester if the regeneration of a key site "is done properly", says the town's MP.

MP Adam Dance was in Yeovil, Somerset, on Friday to officially open its new amphitheatre at The Triangle.

He said he would "love to see" a new green space created in the town centre, allowing Christmas markets and other pop-up events to take place.

The scheme forms part of the long-running Yeovil Refresh project, which will also see the former Glovers Walk shopping centre demolished and replaced.

LDRS Adam Dance stands in the centre of a line of seven people who cut the ribbon at the unveiling of the new amphitheatre in YeovilLDRS
Mr Dance (centre) said he's looking forward to coming back to the town when the large screen and new fountains are installed

Demolition work on the Glovers Walk shopping centre will be ramping up in the spring – with Mr Dance arguing that turning it into a public green space would allow a "wider range of events" to be held, pulling in people from across the south west.

He added: "This area has been very tired for quite some time now, and we've had an awful lot of antisocial behaviour."

Mr Dance believes that the town needs to become "more vibrant" to bring people in so that it can "serve the residents within the constituency", according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service.

Councillor Richard Wilkins, portfolio holder for transport and waste services, said: "Making this area more vibrant and bringing some life back into Yeovil is such an important aspect of what we've been doing here."

Cllr Wilkins said he is really looking forward to events being held at the amphitheatre.

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