Advice for staying in Shepton Mallet on Tuesday

[Young Jim]

We’re staying overnight in Shepton Mallet on Tuesday and are wondering what the traffic is usually like in the afternoon and whether it’ll affect our arrival time. Does it get crazy busy with people hanging around for the car parks to open? And what should we expect if we leave our hotel to join the festival traffic around 9am on Wednesday? 

Also (and most importantly) my pregnant wife is craving fish and chips at the moment (could be worse!) so does anyone have any tips for the best chippy? 😀

[Butterz]

54 minutes ago, Young Jim said:

Also (and most importantly) my pregnant wife is craving fish and chips at the moment (could be worse!) so does anyone have any tips for the best chippy? 😀

There's a chippy at the intersection of A37 and A361.  I have no idea if the food is any good.  But I do know they have an excellent toilet suitable for emergency use should you get stuck in an 8 hour traffic jam in 2016.

[Glast0baby]

3 hours ago, Young Jim said:

anyone have any tips for the best chippy? 😀

If you fancy a treat and a little detour, the Salt and Malt at Chew Magna lake is seriously good.  Gourmet fish and chips overlooking a beautiful lake. It's award winning, one of the best chippies in the UK, yada yada. 

https://saltandmalt.co.uk/chew-valley/

[pilton digger]

6 hours ago, Young Jim said:

We’re staying overnight in Shepton Mallet on Tuesday and are wondering what the traffic is usually like in the afternoon and whether it’ll affect our arrival time. Does it get crazy busy with people hanging around for the car parks to open? And what should we expect if we leave our hotel to join the festival traffic around 9am on Wednesday? 

Also (and most importantly) my pregnant wife is craving fish and chips at the moment (could be worse!) so does anyone have any tips for the best chippy? 😀

Shepton will be busy, it is traditional for people to fill Tesco car park and generally annoy the living shit out of anyone trying to get on with life. Depending on where your accommodation is will dictate how easy it is to get to and out of. The A37 is likely to be busy but not impossible, again depends on whee you are coming from and aiming for.

The chippy is OK but not outstanding, chips are a bit undercooked for my liking.  There are usually better fish and chips in pubs. If you say where you are staying I can let you know where to avoid (Shepton is a bit of a shithole in places)

[prestonmike]

jumping on the back of this thread, if coming from Shepton Mallett direction , are you automatically directed towards the east car parks? Ive always travelled from Glastonbury side and parked in west, this year i'll be coming from the Shepton Mallett direction but still want to park in the west car parks

[al_coholic]

1 hour ago, prestonmike said:

jumping on the back of this thread, if coming from Shepton Mallett direction , are you automatically directed towards the east car parks? Ive always travelled from Glastonbury side and parked in west, this year i'll be coming from the Shepton Mallett direction but still want to park in the west car parks

yes. If you head south from Shepton on the A37 you cannot take the A361 through Pilton. 

So if you want west you will need to go North West out of Shepton towards Wells, then down to Glastonbury and onto the A361 to the west car parks.

[egb923]

If I go via Wells, does the route take you all the way down to Glastonbury and up towards the gates A and D? Or is there a route through Worminster ish way?