A Wells district councillor has expressed surprise that the government is using European money to help high street recovery.

Mendip district councillor for Wells Central, Lois Rogers, has said there some irony that the UK government is using European funds to help high streets recover from the coronavirus crisis, given how hard it pushed for Brexit.

Yesterday (May 25), the government announced it would be giving Mendip District Council £102,000 to help it revitalise the area's high streets following the coronavirus crisis.

However, the money is being allocated out of £50 million nationwide, which is coming from the European Regional Development Fund.

The Liberal Democrat councillor told Wells Nub News: "It is ironic that the government is using money from the European Union, given how hard it has pushed to get Brexit done.

"Obviously this money is extremely welcome but it is a drop in the bucket compared with the catastrophic losses suffered by our independent retailers.

"The council will be doing all it can to help them but we all know things are going to be very difficult indeed especially for small businesses.

"Throughout the coronavirus crisis, the Wells Coronavirus Network has been incredible, and there are now 300 people involved helping out, even if it is just in a small way.

"The effort has been remarkable, and it is now important that we keep it going, so that when the crisis is over, there will be lots of people ready to help others in the community.

"We are fully expecting there to be a greater need for the foodbank, there will be a bigger social need, and always the worry that the virus will be back and its legacy is not going to end."

For everything you need to know about Wells and coronavirus, click here.