If you remember the good old days of Clarkson, Hammond and May on BBC’s Top Gear, you’re probably wondering what the boys are up to nowadays.
While Jeremy Clarkson handles Diddly Squat farm and James May explores gin-making, Richard Hammond has launched his very own classic car restoration workshop.
Richard Hammond’s Workshop is a show that follows the good, the bad and the rusty parts of business ownership.
If you’re watching the show, you’re probably wondering whether the workshop is real or not: and we’re here to help clear up any confusion.
Is Richard Hammond’s Workshop real?
Yes, The Smallest Cog is a real workshop based in Herefordshire. The business specialises in restoring classic cars from around the UK and beyond. Richard Hammond is the director of the business.
That’s right – Hammond’s classic car restoration workshop is alive and kicking as a real business. It has a social media presence, features in local directories and has a verified listing on the UK Companies House.
According to Companies House, the business currently employs three people. It’s fair to assume that these three people are Richard Hammond (the business director) and Neil and Anthony Greenhouse (the workshop technicians).
That’s it, really. It’s a legitimate, tax-paying business with employees and overheads and creditors and debtors. Just like any other business!
The controversy
Some have been led to believe that The Smallest Cog isn’t a real business because it doesn’t have a website. Or does it?
In fact, The Smallest Cog does have a website (https://www.smallestcog.com/). However, it hasn’t been indexed by Google, Bing or other search engines.
Essentially, it isn’t being shown in search results yet.
This could be a deliberate choice, or it could be a simple error on the part of the digital marketing team. Either way, it’s quite tough to find the website.
It’s important to note that the workshop is still a relatively new business. The Smallest Cog Limited was incorporated as a company in January 2021. Maybe the website isn’t properly finished yet. Or maybe they’re waiting for a big launch? This isn’t yet clear.
Something is clear, though. As soon as the website is available on search engines, The Smallest Cog will be flooded with enquiries from curious fans and genuine customers alike. It will take a significant amount of time to filter through these enquiries and distinguish the real from the fake.
Amongst a busy schedule of filming and fan visits, it’s easy to understand why the workshop might have held back on launching a full-on online presence yet.
The Smallest Cog location
Richard Hammond’s Workshop (The Smallest Cog) is based in a unit in the Rotherwas Industrial Estate, Hereford, UK.
Many fans have complimented Richard and the team on their willingness to have a quick chat with them upon visiting the workshop.
Of course, it’s not guaranteed that the team will be present at the workshop if you choose to visit. As always, be sensible and don’t be an annoyance!
The Rotherwas Industrial Estate is conveniently placed near the centre of Hereford – a bustling community city in the county of Herefordshire. Herefordshire is home to a number of specialist engineering and motoring businesses, making it the perfect home for The Smallest Cog.
Does The Smallest Cog make money?
According to its 2021 accounts, not yet. Richard Hammond famously sold his classic car collection to continue to fund the business. It remains to be seen if the business will become profitable in 2022.
The show does a great job of depicting the trials and tribulations of setting up a new business in the motoring industry.
From Richard’s heartbreaking decision to sell his classic car collection to the quick flips that keep the business afloat, it’s hard to not feel sorry for the team. It also paints a picture of an uncertain future for the workshop.
However, we’re sure that both Discovery and Richard Hammond will work to make the business a long-term, profitable company. After all, It’s clear that Richard is in it for the long haul.
Plus, Discovery viewers are loving the show. It has been a big hit! With such a great reception, Discovery won’t want to see the workshop fail.
Summary
So, yes, it’s safe to assume that The Smallest Cog is a real and legitimate business.
As with any other television show, there will be exaggerations. Certain sections will be over-dramatised for entertainment purposes. It’s still a new business, and filming for the show has likely taken priority over anything else at the moment.
As the show continues and the business becomes more established, we’re excited to see how Richard scales the business to new heights.
Are you enjoying Richard Hammond’s Workshop? Let us know below!
I have to say I think this show is fantastic and gives a great insite as to what is going on…Waiting for season three is going to be hard…
Agreed, Graham. I’m loving it. Hopefully, season three comes sooner rather than later!
love the show, but richard hammond is no business man. some of his ideas have been dodgy to say the least.
Just binge watched series 1 and 2 can’t wait for more I loved it.
The highlight of the week is to watch this show, not sure how far behind we are in New Zealand, but in all honesty I don’t care, for the entertainment is great!!
I really look forward to the third season. I have another question: why does Jeremy Clarkson not visit? After all, CaptainSlow has gone to take care of the business.
I like Richard Hammond, But I can’t understand why he portrays himself as a kind of dope !!!, The episode were he is reluctant to introduce hourly work sheets for his guys to complete is really odd. This is perfectly normal, and absolutely necessary in the business he is in. 50 years ago this was the stranded method of keeping track of who is doing what and on what vehicle… Plus, so often when a bog standard decision has to be made, he is pictured sitting behind his desk with his hair in disarray with his head in his hands , and when he looks up, he looks as if he had just lost a winning lottery ticket, Me thinks :- is he capable of running this business ?
The Smallest Cog.
A big fat yes.
Very entertaining show.
Hope there’s plenty more on the way.
Yes good to watch. The focus of interest moving from actual work on customer’s cars /cars in general etc to peripheral matters such as the meetings with the accountant and with his friends / business colleagues fuels the viewer’s need to know how the business is actually progressing as a real business and not just as a “boys fantasy”.
Looks as though the work force know their trade and with the projects completed so far customers appear to be impressed and pleased with the end result and when the crew get stuck in the work gets done to an exacting standard. The addition of the “race car” into the picture could be viewed as an unnecessary addition / distraction to the business’s progression but it could bring in much needed business through publicity.
So sad about his good friend Dean passing away so suddenly as not only was he such an alive personality engaging and connected that from the business prospective he would have been a valuable asset for Richard to have. Indeed as Neil stated on the show that Dean appeared to take on the roll of a mentor as he genuinely was interested in the business coming good and was active in connecting prospective customers/ friends with the Smallest Cog with the view to securing work.
Hopefully the proposed work on Dean’s Bentley will continue.
I do think that when Richard actually gets it all together the business should flourish not just because of any influence of his many friends.
Bring on season three.
I really enjoy watching the show and I am eagerly looking forward to future episodes . I am glad that the intro says that “there are some exaggerations for TV ” as this does seem quite obvious at times !.
I thought the constant push for more Business with the Racing MGB slightly over the top , as a one man repair Business owner myself I know what it is like to be ” Snowed under” and to try to please every Customer without keeping jobs waiting for too long .
The Smallest Cog guys do a fantastic standard of work and I wish Richard and the Team success for the future.