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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).

Third Time Lucky......?....Nah.....‏

Posted on 24th March, 2016

The Racers were looking forward to playing the Kilinkerbellends about as much as they would a cross Atlantic pleasure cruise on the Titanic....!

Depleted in numbers.... the chances didn't look good for a third time lucky meeting with our trophy hunting opponents and the air of apathy was palpable with our motivation officer Jimbo predicting a 65 pin 16-0 defeat.....!

Indeed....Jimbo's clairvoyant prediction was looking all to accurate as the first set of G'Day (41 ) The Hobbit (44 ) and Desperate Derrick (35 ) crashed by 17 pins to their illustrious guests.

But then something strange happened.....Mankind has pondered on the mysteries of the universe since the dawn of time and thousands of years from now, when the universe has yielded its secrets....and Steve 'The Blade' Newbould' has actually bought a round..........Men will still speak of the unimaginable event that took place at the Lympsham Pavillion in the year of our Lord AD 21st March 2016.

Three mere mortals....who will be revered and granted sainthood by future generations......did the unthinkable........no doubt the names of Bayntun.(40).. White (43)....( Who ? ).... and Burnley (44) will be etched into skittling folklore for generations to come........THEY TOOK 2 POINTS OFF THE BELLENDS..........!!! No....that's not a misprint ........it really happened.

The achievement being all the more remarkable as Burnley had forgotten to bring the jar of sacred, mystical all powerful beetroot....!!

After that......normal service was resumed.... And it was women, children and Inspiration therapist Jimbo' (45)... Grandpa Reeves (32).... and Tepee (35) taking to the lifeboats...!

The Coach (44) ....Blade (41) and Captain 'chaos' Davis (32) tried to man the pumps but to no avail as the Racers went down 2-14 and by 38 pins. ( A 66 pin improvement on the last league game ! ).

As an observation....one area where the Racers can claim undoubted supremacy was in the jeans fashion stakes..... The Bellend's ill-fitting baggy arsed garments being no match for the Racers stylish denim attire. So despite the expected defeat, the Racers were still able to strut peacock-like using the alley as if it were a catwalk....safe in the knowledge that the Bellends could only look on in awe.

Versace Burnley.........( Actually I was wearing Cargo's )

Latest averages with one game left. by Ski Sunday

Averages after Racers v Klinkerbelles