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Neil Hesman T/A The Village Websmith Cookies Policy
Use of Cookies on this Web Site Neil Hesman T/A The Village Websmith site uses only one cookie. It is a session cookie, which is deleted at the end of your browser session. It holds no personally identifiable data relating to our site visitors, other than the broad geographical location. This serves to ensure the site delivers the correct information in terms of local contacts, currency and taxes.
No personal data is ever held in a cookie on our web site.
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We strongly recommend that if you do not want every moment of your web browsing catalogued and analysed, you should use the controls available in your browser to prevent tracking and to block third party cookies.
The only cookies that our site will place are for strictly functional purposes like identifying your broad geographical area to ensure accurate local informattion, and to retain the contents of a shopping basket if one is used.
If you have questions relating to any aspect of your web site, be it construction, content, marketing and promotion, search engine appeal, graphics or security, it is just about impossible to find one source of answers and information. It can be even harder to get the information from a real, flesh and blood person rather than an online forum filled with people asking the same question as you.
To such help and advice available free to small business owners face to face, the Village Websmith is excited about re-introducing regular drop-in web sugeries. Whatever concerns or questions you have regarding your web presence, including social media, you can drop in and get straight answers in jargon-free English.
The surgeries, which were formerly hosted in coffee shops in key locations, were suspended last year when the workload of implementing GDPR requirements became prohibitive. There were distractions in the locations that we used too, which made them less than ideal.
So, having moved the Websmithy to more spacious premises in Shirenewton we can accommodate people here more easily. We are also not subject to other people's working hours, so can be more flexible over time. That takes care of 'where', as there is a standing invitation to all local business people to drop in.
That just leaves 'when'. In this case, 'when' starts on October 9th and each Wednesday from then on, between 10am and 8pm. That will mean that anyone too busy during the working day will be able to call in after normal business hours. The coffee here is pretty good, and the tea comes how you like it, so call in for a chat over a cuppa and who knows what useful information you may leave with?
If you have any questions, just call us or click in the header of any page to send us an email. Better still, call in on any Wednesday and see for yourself.
As the spritual home of Bemsee, the British Motorcycle Racing Club, it is fitting that the season starts here at Brands Hatch, on the Indy layout. This is my favourite circuit. Brands Indy is all action, the bike is never truly upright and there is no rest on a lap. Bloody marvellous! Short but beautifully formed with some of the world's greatest bends. There is very little to compare with the thrill of pitching into Paddock Hill bend, feeling like you are diving off the end of the world, bottoming out in the dip and heading up towards balls out braking for Druids Hairpin. The view for spectators is brilliant with more or less the whole circuit being visible from a number of vantage points.
Racing here in the Yamaha Past Masters series is always fast and competitive despite the age and relative simplicity of the bikes. Close results are always the order of the day and the glorious smell of two strokes fills the nostrils of all the people there. I feel privileged to be a part of this class and to race at such a circuit where you follow the wheeltracks of heroes. It just doesn't get much better than this. Come along and get the buzz!
Run as part of a packed Bemsee meeting, there is always plenty to see in this and all the other classes from 125 super teens to 1000cc Superbikes.
Motorcycle Road Races Duration: 3 Days Venue: Silverstone International Circuit From: 8:00 am Until: 6:00 pm
The International Circuit at Silverstone is the only one for which I have held the lap record, being the fasted 350YPM around there in 2014, which lasted for 2015. Having said that, at the time there were very few 350s running in the class, so it was rather like being the tallest man in Liliput.
Since then, many people have been faster on the 350s in our class, but we are always trying to improve, so watch this space. The circuit is one of the fastest that we race on with big straights and sweeping turns that let you use all the power you have, so in theory the 350s should go well here. In practice, who knows? The only way to find out is to be there.
If you do take the trouble to go and watch the meeting, wander around the paddock and look out for us in the blue bus. The kettle is seldom far from the stove and our coffee is the best in the paddock. Everyone is welcome, so we will hope to see you there.
Run as part of a packed Bemsee meeting, there is always plenty to see in this and all the other classes from 125 super teens to 1000cc Superbikes.
Motorcycle Road Races Duration: 3 Days Venue: Oulton Park From: 8:00 am Until: 6:00 pm
This is an unusual meeting, being held on the Saturday and Bank Holiday Monday, with Sunday off for relaxation and sightseeing. This is a beautiful part of the country so we will be making the most of that.
Oulton Park is a place where legends are made. Just the name invokes all that is good and thrilling about British motorcycle racing and some of the absolute greats of all time have raced here for over 50 years. In that time, it has hosted car and motorcycle grands prix, so the feeling of history just grabs you as soon as you get there. Set in the beautiful Cheshire countryside, the experience of just being at Oulton, let alone racing there is fantastic.
The Yamaha Past Masters racing is always fast and competitive despite the relative age and simplicity of the bikes. Close finishes are always the order of the day and the lovely smell of two stroke just adds to the experience. Come along and be a part of this incredible scene. Friday testing and Saturday racing is unusual, but at least it will leave Sunday free for Roast dinner in front of the TV!
Run as part of a packed Bemsee meeting, there is always plenty to see in this and all the other classes from 125 super teens to 1000cc Superbikes.
We will be in the paddock with our new race transport combined with mobile office so if you are thinking about your web site while there, pop in and get a detailed analysis. It's free and may just make a difference to the results you get. The coffee is pretty good too! Look our for the big blue bus.
Motorcycle Road Races Duration: 3 Days Venue: Snetterton 300, Norwich, Norfolk, NR16 2JU From: 8:00 am Until: 6:00 pm
Erly June sees us at the fantastic Snetterton 300 circuit. This layout retains the long, fast straights of the original, but has a wide range of additional bends and features to make it one of the most demanding circuits that we visit. The new layouts are great for riders and spectators alike, with plenty of action from balls out straights to OhMyGod hairpins. Bloody wonderful place!
Thanks to new stands and a massive earth bank in the midfield, Snetterton is now one of the best viewing circuits on our calendar too, so come along for a great view of the action.
Run as part of a packed Bemsee meeting, there is always plenty to see in this and all the other classes from 125 super teens to 1000cc Superbikes.
This should be the debut of our new race transport combined with mobile office so if you are thinking about your web site while there, pop in and get a detailed analysis. It's free and may just make a difference to the results you get. The coffee is pretty good too!
Motorcycle Road Races Duration: 3 Days Venue: Cadwell Park From: 8:00 am Until: 6:00 pm
Cadwell Park was where we raced for the very first time in the Yamaha Past Masters Series. What an absolute disaster that was. Forgetting a couple of small but vital items like the tent pegs and the key to our bike's fuel cap was just the start.
In the first race, I destroyed our engine to the point where parts of a crankshaft thrust washer got welded to the remains of the piston. Next up, Tony Buchan from the Stinkwheels team most generously loaned me his spare bike. We had never even met before! Despite his gesture deserving much better, I managed to fry his clutch on the warmup lap. In the recovery van, Tony Hoare's clutch lever went through the fairing on the borrowed bike. I was so embarrassed when giving it back, but Tony was generous to a fault and shrugged off the damage I had done.
In 2011 at Cadwell I managed a very spectacular crash (well, for me anyway), looping the bike on the ascent of the mountain while trying in vain to pass Paul Davies. In the words of the song Things can only get better! The biggest disappointment was that there was no photographer at the Mountain, so the only photo I have to show for it is the bruises...
Despite, or maybe because of all this, Cadwell Park is one of my great favourites and I love to race there. Thanks to the help of Keith Roisseter, I was 13 seconds a lap faster there last time out so will be looking to further improve.
The Yamaha Past Masters series always produces fast, exciting racing despite the relative age and simplicity of the bikes and close finishes are always the order of the day. If you love two strokes as I do, the smell is a huge bonus. Join us at Cadwell and get swept away in the great racing, sounds, smells and camaraderie that is the YPM class.
Run as part of a packed Bemsee meeting, there is always plenty to see in this and all the other classes from 125 super teens to 1000cc Superbikes.
Motorcycle Road Races Duration: 3 Days Venue: Brands Hatch GP Circuit From: 8:00 am Until: 6:00 pm
Brands Hatch GP Circuit is the one that everybody wants to do. Every centimetre of track oozes history and we are truly riding in the wheeltracks of giants. The GP look takes us deep into the Kent countryside, and is only used on a limited number of days each year, so opportunities to tackle this fantastic track are rare indeed.
I have never managed to do this circuit justice and was feeling dog-slow last time out, but improved a little over the weekend. This year we are looking for big reductions in lap time, so watch this space.
The circuit passes under three bridges in total, two on the GP loop. I mentioned that one of them always makes me duck as it looks like it is only just above the track when approaching. The tarmac dips underneath it so it is just an optical illusion. The person I was talking to said You shouldn't be able to duck, your chin should be on the tank there. Good advice and a point well made, well taken. I will be doing my best there this year.
Run as part of a packed Bemsee meeting, there is always plenty to see in this and all the other classes from 125 super teens to 1000cc Superbikes.
Motorcycle Road Races Duration: 3 Days Venue: Cadwell Park From: 8:00 am Until: 6:00 pm
This visit to Cadwell Park is as a part of the Sidecar Revival Meeting. Only a few solo classes get to compete in this fantastic meeting and once again, the Yamaha Past Masters contingent has been lucky enough to be invited. Cadwell Park was where we raced for the very first time in the Yamaha Past Masters Series. What an absolute disaster that was. Forgetting a couple of small but vital items like the tent pegs and the key to our bike's fuel cap was just the start.
In the first race, I destroyed our engine to the point where parts of a crankshaft thrust washer got welded to the remains of the piston. Next up, Tony Buchan from the Stinkwheels team most generously loaned me his spare bike. We had never even met before! Despite his gesture deserving much better, I managed to fry his clutch on the warmup lap. In the recovery van, Tony Hoare's clutch lever went through the fairing on the borrowed bike. I was so embarrassed when giving it back, but Tony was generous to a fault and shrugged off the damage I had done.
In 2011 at Cadwell I managed a very spectacular crash (well, for me anyway), looping the bike on the ascent of the mountain while trying in vain to pass Paul Davies. In the words of the song Things can only get better! The biggest disappointment was that there was no photographer at the Mountain, so the only photo I have to show for it is the bruises...
Despite, or maybe because of all this, Cadwell Park is one of my great favourites and I love to race there. Thanks to the help of Keith Roisseter, I was 13 seconds a lap faster there last time out so will be looking to further improve.
The Yamaha Past Masters series always produces fast, exciting racing despite the relative age and simplicity of the bikes and close finishes are always the order of the day. If you love two strokes as I do, the smell is a huge bonus. Join us at Cadwell and get swept away in the great racing, sounds, smells and camaraderie that is the YPM class.
Motorcycle Road Races Duration: 3 Days Venue: Donington Park Circuit, Castle Donington, Derby, Leicestershire DE74 2RP From: 8:00 am Until: 6:00 pm
The historic Donington Park circuit hosted the British Motorcycle GP for many years since being rescued by Tom Wheatcroft in the late 1970s. It has long been recognised as one of the finest bike racing circuits in the UK and offers great thrills for rider and spectator alike.
I haven't ridden there yet so am absolutely thrilled that it is in our calendar this year. I am so looking forward to the descent through Craner Curves to the Old Hairpin, just the thought of it is making every hair on my body stand on end.
Racing with the Yamaha Past Masters is an incredible privilege. To even be on such circuits is something that so many people don't ever get the chance to do. With this class, there is always fantastic, close racing, always very fast despite the relative age and simplicity of the bikes. Nobody is there to muck about, so join us at Donington Park for a real treat. If you love two strokes as I do, just the smell of the YPM round is enough to make the trip worthwhile.
We will be in the paddock with our new race transport combined with mobile office so if you are thinking about your web site while there, pop in and get a detailed analysis. It's free and may just make a difference to the results you get. The coffee is pretty good too! Look out for a big blue bus.
The spiritual home of Bemsee sees us on the Indy circuit for the closing round of 2019. This is my favourite circuit. Brands Indy is all action, the bike is never truly upright and there is no rest on a lap. Bloody marvellous! Short but beautifully formed with some of the world's greatest bends. There is very little to compare with the thrill of pitching into Paddock Hill bend, feeling like you are diving off the end of the world, bottoming out in the dip and heading up towards balls out braking for Druids Hairpin. The view for spectators is brilliant with more or less the whole circuit being visible from a number of vantage points.
Racing here in the Yamaha Past Masters series is always fast and competitive despite the age and relative simplicity of the bikes. Close results are always the order of the day and the glorious smell of two strokes fills the nostrils of all the people there. I feel privileged to be a part of this class and to race at such a circuit where you follow the wheeltracks of heroes. It just doesn't get much better than this. Come along and get the buzz!
Run as part of a packed Bemsee meeting, there is always plenty to see in this and all the other classes from 125 super teens to 1000cc Superbikes.
