Yeovil has lost another pub in recent weeks after the Mermaid temporarily closed its doors .
While the brewery which operates the High Street drinking hole insists it will be reopening , numerous pubs in the town in recent years have not been so fortunate.
The number of pubs and bars that have poured their final pints and shut up shop for good in the new millenium is well into double figures.
With pubs not only being somewhere to drink and - sometimes - eat, but pillars of the community where people can socialise, celebrate and unwind, each time one closes, its loss is keenly felt.
Here are nine pubs in Yeovil which have bid farewell in recent years.
1) Fleur de Lys
Those travelling past St Michael’s Avenue from Mudford Road cannot help but notice the Fleur de Lys, which was a popular watering hole for nearly 60 years after opening in the 1950s.
It carried on strong until 2014, when it was closed to make way for a Co-op convenience store, much to the anguish of its punters.
2) The Green Dragon
Built on St Michael’s Avenue in the 1950s to meet local demand, the Green Dragon became a favourite venue for Yeovil’s skittles leagues for many years.
Despite its popularity, its fate was sealed when, as with the Fleur de Lys, planning permission was granted to turn it into a Co-op .
The final pints were poured earlier in 2016, before the building was demolished to make way for the shop.
3) The Great Western
Last orders were called at the Great Western in December 2017 after it was sold by brewery Wadworth.
Despite a hard-fought campaign by locals to save it, the Camborne Grove pub will be redeveloped after developer Kenika Developments won an appeal to have it turned into flats.
4) The Picketty Witch
Situated on Ilchester Road, the Picketty Witch was a popular watering hole for nearly 80 years, having first opened in the 1930s.
It had a vast history, with its skittle alley being earmarked for use as a 'care for the homeless' furniture store in the event that another war broke out in the 1950s, while the 1960s pop group Pickettywitch are said to have named themselves after the boozer.
Popular for its skittle alley, pool tables and live sport, the pub closed in 2013 and became a Tesco Express.
5) Wine Vaults
Located at the corner of Wine Street and Union Street, the Wine Vaults was a staple of a Yeovil night out throughout the 1990s and early 2000s, but closed down in 2004.
It reopened under its original name of The Vaults in 2010 but closed in 2014 and has now been turned into a combination of flats and the Union Street Brasserie.
6) Porter Blacks
It may not have the esteemed history of some of Yeovil ’s other boozers, but as an Irish pub, Porter Blacks offered Guinness fuelled celebrations in the town centre every weekend.
Opened in 1995, the Middle Street bar stayed open for more than a decade before it closed its doors in 2006.
It has since been turned into a succession of restaurants, being an all you can eat Chinese buffet for many years before becoming the Turkish eatery Turquoise, which closed in June .
7) Glovers Arms
One of Yeovil's most historic pubs, the Glovers Arms dated back to the 1850s and its roomy interior and notoriously tricky skittle alley made it a favourite place to grab a pint in the town.
Its heyday had long passed by the time last orders were called in 2005, however, and it fell into disrepair after suffering a number of fires.
The Reckleford building has now been converted into flats.
8) The Nelson Inn
A prominent building linking Eastland Road with Gordon Road for more than a century, the Nelson Inn became a popular community local until it shut down in 2002.
After its closure, residents formed an action group to prevent the site being sold for redevelopment, but they were unsuccessful.
What used to be a thriving pub is now a block of flats.
9) The Plucknett
A landmark building on Preston Road, The Plucknett opened as a hotel and pub in the 1950s after being built as a private house in the mid-19th century.
It stayed open until August 2015, when it was abruptly closed by its owner Palmers Brewery.
It was taken over by veterinary Newton Clarke, which won planning permission to convert it into an animal hospital.
Which other former Yeovil pubs do you have fond memories of? Let us know by emailing stephen.dalbiac@reachplc.com, in the comments section below or on the Somerset Live Facebook page.
Want more news?
To subscribe to our daily newsletter, enter your email address into the box at the top of this story.
To keep up to date with our latest news, follow us on Facebook and Twitter .
Find our Somerset Facebook page here , and our Bath Facebook page can be found here .
