Bleadon Racers Skittle Team (click for Blog or Statistics/Pics)
RACERS move again for 2022/23 season, decision taken to play at Hornets Rugby Club sadly means our rural community has again lost it's skittle team, what a great shame. The Queens Arms must be regretting the removal of their alley during the tenure of Butcombe(see below)!
STOP PRESS: Racers are back at Lympsham Sports Club Pavilion for the 2019/20 season.
They play at 8pm on most Monday nights in Division 3 of The Weston-Super-Mare and District Skittle League. The skittle season runs approximately from September to April and we are always happy to welcome new and experienced players. If you are interested in joining then please contact us
After many previous enjoyable seasons at Lympsham Sports Club, last year Racers decided to move for the 2018/19 season to Weston-super-Mare Football Club (Alley 2) but although very grateful to WSMFC for their hospitality, the call of the rural community environment was too strong and so they are now back 'home' at 'The Pav'.
A Bit of Bleadon Skittle History
Originally there was a skittle alley provided for the village at the Coronation Hall as mentioned in their deed, but this alley was removed to build the Jubilee Room as an alley had been created for the team who had then played as and at, The Queens Arms, Bleadon (this also saved the sticker-up running up from the Hall to the pub to get 'refreshments'). Butcombe Brewery bought the pub in 2004/5 and then in 2006 decided to demolish (rather than re-furbish) the skittle alley in favour of replacing it with a seldom used outside patio/smoking area (a strange decision made even stranger as they sponsor the WSMD skittle league)!
So, the team were then effectively homeless (as well as the Ladies and Hunt league teams) and thus faced folding. After six decades of playing they wanted to continue so sought refuge and welcome at nearby Lympsham Sports Club, where initially renamed as The Queens and then Bleadon Racers, they were very happy to find that with new balls, traditional skittles is still alive and well and the beer is very much cheaper!
In an ideal world The Racers hope that the Queens Arms (or more specifically, its owners) would see the error of their ways by building a new alley and bringing the Racers 'home'. It could gain the pub some welcome extra revenue in the winter nights (casual estimates suggest a potential lost income of well over £250,000 since the alley was demolished and teams left in 2006, some 16+yrs ago), but alas that would currently appear a distant dream!
Bleadon Skittle Team Honours (from WSMDSL website)
1931 - Division 2 Winners - Bleadon Sports (original team at Coronation Hall, then also based at Queens Arms when CH alley was removed!!)
1949 - Division 3 Mayors/Hospital Cup Winners - Queens Arms
1950 - Division 3 Mayors/Hospital Cup Winners - Queens Arms
1985 - Division 3 Mayors/Hospital Cup Winners - Queens Arms
1990 - Division 3 and also Mayors/Hospital Cup Winners - Bleadon Sports
Also individual finalists C Butler London Bridge 2019,2020 and M Dyer Singles 2020
Also in an exciting last game of the 2012/13 season, Racers won by just one pin and thus finished runners-up and were promoted after 10 years absence back up to Division 3 for 2013/14 season. However, the league was re-structured from 4 into 3 divisions for 2016/17 season and although Racers were then put in Division 2, they unfortunately earned 'relegation' back to the basement Division 3 for 2017/18! (see blog and statistics below for details).
Racers Report - October 2017
Posted on 1st November, 2017
October was definitely a bit better than September. Racers are in Division 3 of WSM District League and their current playing averages are here
2nd - Round 1 of the Perkins Cup saw Racers against Regent Sports of Division 1 at 49 Club (upstairs) Although we gained the expected loss (by 27 pins), we didn't disgrace ourselves and look forward to our reward. Steve James Cup (aka Sid or Duffers Cup) at Crown Inn Axbridge against St. Happy's on November 13.
9th - St Happy's were also our first opponents on our newly laid alley and what a result. 556 pins, our highest score in living memory (well mine anyway) saw a 16-0 win by 52 pins with only one score under 40 and Top Dog was Diddy Dave Mawford with an excellent 61.
16th -The AlleyBlasters at The Regency produced a second away win for Racers and things were definitely starting to look up in the league. Another 61, this time by TeePee was the highlight of a big 54 pin win that unfortunately only earned us 12 points.
23rd -The dreaded 'Front Pin' Hospital Cup Round 1 saw Racers play Earlybirds at the Boro Sports Club, and based on our very convincing season's first game win at The Lamb, confidence was high and especially after a 41 pin first set lead. But Front Pin can change fast and a much chaged EarlyBird side made a good comeback to only lose finally by 9 pins. Racers play Uphill Steamers in the next round at 49 Club (Downstairs this time) on December 18.
30th - October ended as she began with a loss to put any promotion talk on hold (having climbed to joint 4th place) Racers although scoring a very respectable 524 still lost to Langford Rovers by 10 pins. Clearly our high scoring newly laid alley is also much to the liking of our opposition too, and oddly so far our away form is better than that at home! So next game brings high expectations at The Lamb again v Shepherds.
October 2017 Scoreboards (click image for full size) |  |
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Bleadon Racers Statistics
Current and past season league fixtures, results and player averages (A very big thanks to Charles Reeves for producing the originals).
You can click on any image thumbnail below to expand it.
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Comments (2)
games. It was one of the things I looked forward too and
made the odd comment myself.. The Waterhouse rants
we’re also more than excellent. We want them back !!!