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In 5 years time what do you think will have happened with regards to UK racecourses?
Will all the existing courses still be open and racing?
Will any old racecourses by revived or there be plans to revive them?
Will Great Leighs be a racecourse with fixtures?
Will any new racecourses have been built or be in the process of being built?
Will any racecourses have changed their status ie from NH/Flat/All Weather?
Will any old racecourses by revived or there be plans to revive them?
Will Great Leighs be a racecourse with fixtures?
Will any new racecourses have been built or be in the process of being built?
Will any racecourses have changed their status ie from NH/Flat/All Weather?There was talk a couple of years ago about the former Carholme racecourse at Lincoln being reopened. A group was formed with the aim of reviving racing but I haven’t heard any more about it.
I seem to remember reading about plans for new racecourses in the Salford area and in Wales but again, it seems to have gone very quiet.
Ffos Las seemed to have a wobble when Dai Walters threatened to close the place because of the number of fixtures he was being offered but I hope there is no longer any threat.
I am hoping that Great Leighs will reopen and there have been some very positive signs over the last year. Don’t know what the state of play is exactly but there was talk of it reopening next year. Let’s hope, if it does reopen, the bosses at least put the viewing public first and get a proper, permanent, correctly positioned grandstand. Unbelievable that they got the basics so wrong, even though the race surface was praised.
With the loss of jumping at Nottingham and Windsor, let’s hope no more courses decide to concentrate just on the Flat.good topic
Leicester , Nottingham , Sedgfield , Ripon , Cartmel , Yarmouth …
these would be my bankers to fold
I do sincerely hope I am wrong
Rickt
I doubt Nottingham will fold as it’s part of the Jockey Club so is probably one of the securest.
There is absolutely no economic justification for a new racecourse – we already have more racing than is sustainable.
If there economy improves there may (and it pains me to say this) be a justification for an all-weather track in the north..
good topic
Leicester , Nottingham , Sedgfield , Ripon , Cartmel , Yarmouth …
these would be my bankers to fold
I do sincerely hope I am wrong
Rickt
I also hope you are wrong Ricky – the only one on your list I would worry about is Leicester, which would be a shame as I do have a soft spot for the place.
Nottingham is part of JC racecourses, as has been pointed out, likewise Sedgefield is part of Northern so they have some "group backing".
Ripon, Cartmel and Yarmouth all attract decent crowds so should survive.
One not on your list, which must be teetering, is Redcar.
Having been to Cartmel and seen how much people enjoy going there despite the fact it’s probably the hardest course in the country to get there I can’t see it folding for a very long time.
Can’t see them ever putting an all weather in the north it would reduce the number of trainers who travel south and they would struggle more than they do now. If a course is going to close I’d opt for one of the all weathers most likely Wolverhampton
Redcar I’d be surprised to see close. They are right on the ball constantly coming up with good promotional ideas and seem to always get decent crowds
If Cartmel was relying on race meetings then there may be a case for saying it will struggle. That isn’t the case by a very long way as they hold all sorts of events throughout the year. Add to that the fact that average racecourses attendances put it amongst the best attended course then I’d be surprised if it’s in much danger. Indeed they have added an extra day this year with the July fixture being increased to two days, the first a Saturday.
Rob
Wouldn’t totally surprise if Folkestone went, I’ve been there once and while I enjoyed the course its very basic and don’t think attracts big crowds.
Wouldn’t totally surprise if Folkestone went, I’ve been there once and while I enjoyed the course its very basic and don’t think attracts big crowds.
….. plus they are rumoured to have received a very attractive offer as it is potentially prime development land with a railway station and good motorway links.
I’ve been to Folkestone only a couple of times but really enjoyed it and thought it was a lovely course.
Good viewing, compact, easy to reach facilities and, when I last went there a long time ago, a nice pond with goldfish in it. A very good atmosphere in an attractive setting.
I can never understand why Folkestone regularly gets criticised, unless things have taken a turn for the worse since my last visit in the 1980s.
The racing was admittedly modest but it was a very good day out. I would be very sorry if it closed or rather the powers-that-be decided to take the lucrative financial inducements instead of continuing with racing.Two things.
Firstly, I would hate any course to close. The great thing about having a geographical spread of courses is that enables everybody in the UK to have a ‘touching point’, a possible introduction to racing, on or near their doorstep. I think this is very important.
Secondly, courses are being creative (by necessity) with their grounds and buildings offering a number of non-racing amenities such as conferencing and shows/fairs etc. The seemingly ‘struggling’ course may have other strings to it’s bow.
Mike
There are many worse courses than Folkestone though it will be economics not how good the courses are that determine who goes. Great Leighs should be reopen next year and I will be there.
When you consider a quarter of this forum (which must contain more racing supporters than other forums or the population in general) wants an end to the GN and most of them an end to NH racing, some courses may be more vulnerable than others.
Bound to be more polytrack and AW within 5 years, it’s more reliable as a surface and business, some courses may have to choose between closure, economic sense or conversion to AW, once this gathers pace, more should follow.
Can’t see anything new being built as the fixtures would have to come from somewhere, though a new AW course in the SE in place of some of the lesser turf/NH tracks wouldn’t hurt.
Nothing stays the same and the disposable pound wil be harder to find over the next few years as it has been over the past few.
Presumably, the plans to build an all-weather track at Sedgefield have been quietly forgotten about?
Oddly enough, I don’t think there will be any significant change. Great Leighs might try to return but will need to fight for any fixtures and might finish up scrapping with Kempton and Wolverhampton for winter twilight and evening meetings.
I can’t see any courses closing at the moment – they seem to be surviving the worst recession since the 1930s and short of a sustained break in racing, why should any close ?
Haven’t been there for a few years so it may have improved by now, but wouldn’t mind if Worcester disappeared. Catterick is pretty basic too.
A few years ago I would have said that Newcastle was close to going as it was very run down and didn’t attract many people.
I live in North Bristol and nearest courses are Chepstow and Bath.
Visit Bath a couple of times/year, but to think it shares its name with one of the most beautiful cities in the UK is quite ironic IMO.
Bath racecourse is just awful. Rubbish facilities, distinct lack of decent food outlets. A blot on the good name of Bath.
£22 to get into Bath’s ‘Premier’ enclosure.
Went to Newbury last Saturday – booked online and entry to its Premier enclosure was £21. A magnificent racecourse with top top facilities for racegoers.
Just booked to go to Ascot on Saturday 12th May – ticket to its grandstand just £16.20/person.
How can a sh#thole like Bath racecourse charge £22?!Like oher posters on here I would hate any courses to close as I think the the variety of course types and configurations is one of British Racing’s great assets.
While I can’t see a lot happening in five years, it wouldn’t suprise me if Haydock decided to scrap jumping and install a floodlit AW track and bid for Friday/Saturday night fixtures. Major jump fixtures to be switched between Aintree, Carlise and Warwick.
Like others, I would choose Redcar (high level of local unemployment, generally struggling financially), Worcester (constant threat of flooding) and Folkestone (prime site for developers) as prime candidates.
Don’t know why but I could quite easily see Ayr putting up the shutters with the Scottish National switching to Musselburgh, (Ayr) Gold Cup to Hamilton.
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