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Just been to a West Berkshire Racing Club social event. A talk by joint Managing director of Newbury Racecourse Sara Horden, or what they’ve rebranded "The Racecourse Newbury". May sound strange, but the new name is supposed to put Racing first. Well, apart from that…
Plans impressed me, should (by 2015) be a much nicer Racecourse. New main entrance off the A4 with a bridge over the Railway by the Nuffield Health centre. Those coming in from the Winchester/Andover direction will be parking in the centre of the course, walking in to an entrance by the Hampshire Stand. New stables, lads hostel, Nursery.
Big paddock will be dug out, lower than surrounding area. Weighing Room over north side of paddock right by the new pre-parade ring. More trees and greenery, Although not too close to stables and paddock (horses). Secret Garden on the west side of the Hampshire Stand. New food outlets on ground floor of the Berkshire stand which is due to be more inviting, instead of a brick face. Hoping Fish And Chips might be moved to the Tote building (between Berkshire and Tatts Grandstand).
One thing I didn’t like much was the Hotel, for me it’s too close to the Tatts Grandstand. No room for any expansion of the Tatts Grandstand. They could expand the Hampshire Stand (westwards) but that would be on the members side.
Homes to be built to the west of the course look tastefully done. Wouldn’t mind one of the appartments myself. They’ll be done to look like a Grandstand and overlook the Racecourse, where the Silver Ring Stand is now (or a bit further back).
Over all it looks a big improvement.
Work on the first part of redevelopment to start any day now, it’ll be done stage by stage without closing the racecourse.
Value Is Everythingas the existing tatts car park is soon to be a housing estate im guessing thats why there will be a car park in the middle of the course,but if all the coaches park there the view will be blocked?
as the existing tatts car park is soon to be a housing estate im guessing thats why there will be a car park in the middle of the course,but if all the coaches park there the view will be blocked?
There’s still going to be a car park there R&S, for those coming from the new Main Entrance A4/west. Only building in that part of the grounds are 350 appartments. Built in the style of a Grandstand and built roughly in the area of the existing Silver Ring stand. Car park will be at the back of that and also an over-spill one at the front.
Although the plan describes a "new car park for members and premier costomers" in the middle of the course, it will (I believe) be for those coming in from the Winchester/Andover direction too, for around 1000 cars. It’s possible they might send coaches around to the same spot as now. Existing road going around the course revised, going straight northwards as far as the railway and then turning right following close to the railway.
Existing members car park will be split; south side being 100 private appartments and 16 large executive homes looking down the back straight, with 150 "affordable" appartments and 12 terraced houses. North side the new children’s nursery, horse walk (from refirbished stables), new stable lads hostel (possibly to be used as a cheaper hotel on non-race days) and owners & trainers car park together with pedestrian entrance for those coming from Newbury itself.
The old owners & trainers car park and everything west of the existing road (bar stables) will be 140 detached and terraced houses including "affordable" housing.
Value Is EverythingSurely they aren’t putting the hotel so you can see the winning post? Why would they do that?
Don’t like the sound of these new plans – selling off some of the land for housing and moving the car park into the middle of the track seems to be the jist of it.
Martin
It’s much more than that Martin, do you go to Newbury at all? Got a plan if you’re interested.
I agree about the hotel being in the wrong place, though more because I’d liked to have seen a bigger Tatts Grandstand.
They needed to put money in to making the place up to Group 1 standard.
Paddock as I said sunken in, much bigger and in a pentagon/rhombus shape. Stable staff really did need new facilities. Strangers sharing rooms, in cubicles separated by boards and curtains as doors… isn’t acceptable. Stable block needs doing up too. Berkshire Stand isn’t inviting enough either.
Value Is Everything"The Racecourse Newbury" for ***** sake! That sounds like seventy-five grand well spent at the local branding consultants.
Should have a comma after the word ‘racecourse’ anyway.
Mike
"The Racecourse Newbury" for ***** sake! That sounds like seventy-five grand well spent at the local branding consultants.
Should have a comma after the word ‘racecourse’ anyway.
Mike
There’s also a new logo of horse and jockey Mike.
Value Is Everythinghttp://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-19646166
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-berkshire-15115984
http://news.bbc.co.uk/local/berkshire/h … 491744.stm
Must say I think it’s a pathetic comment by the libdem councillor Mr Hunneman. Bloody obvious if the "affordable" housing were put in the more "pleasant" areas they’d be less affordable.
For such a big build, there were apparently very few objections to the planning application.
Value Is Everything"The Racecourse Newbury" for ***** sake! That sounds like seventy-five grand well spent at the local branding consultants.
Should have a comma after the word ‘racecourse’ anyway.
Mike
Sounds like the work of Perfect Curve, although I suspect they would have suggested putting the Hotel in the middle of the course with a revolving restaurant on the top floor. Revolving in a clockwise direction of course!
"The Racecourse Newbury" for ***** sake! That sounds like seventy-five grand well spent at the local branding consultants.
Should have a comma after the word ‘racecourse’ anyway.
Mike
There’s also a new logo of horse and jockey Mike.
I feel a fool for criticising!!
Mike
On a more serious note,
Sara Horeden did say the members/premier enclosure attendence has gone up 10% in 10 years, while the Grandstand enclosure had gone down by the same amount.Couldn’t help point out some racegoers are a bit miffed at concerts being put on good racing days (Hungerford and Mill Reef). I was the proverbial Grumpy old man. I know, it’s difficult to believe!
Racegoers want to see the best quality races available at the course. But they won’t pay for the concert aswell. May be normal racegoers don’t turn up, get fed up and not bother with other days where poorer class races are on the menu. Sara mentioned Frankie Dettori getting the biggest cheer for winning at last year’s Hungerford meeting. "Yes" I said, "concert racegoers wouldn’t know the difference between a Group 2 and a seller". She replied "But Frankie wouldn’t show up for a poor day’s racing". Suppose she has a point there, but it still puts off their regular cientele.
Value Is EverythingThanks GT – I’ve been to Newbury a couple of times but not often enough tbh (last time was in 2005 I think) so not for a good years now.
In fairness to them I’m sure they’re doing it for all the right reasons and selling off land for housing problem gives them a buffer and more money to hopefully invest in the racecourse and racing itself.
Martin
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