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Newton Abbot has dropped its admission price for its main enclosure by £4 this year in response to the cost of living crisis.
The Devon track stages its first meeting of 2023 on Saturday and sales have been “very good” according to managing director Pat Masterson, with the advance price for the paddock enclosure reduced to £16 and on-the-day price to £18. Admission to the course enclosure remains £12.
Newton Abbot’s average attendance of 2,070 last year was down by 524 compared to the pre-Covid levels in 2019.
Masterson said: “The economy is so rubbish and people are struggling to go racing, or to any other sporting event, or even buying food given how the prices are going up.
“When we were doing the budgets, it was pretty obvious that we were going to do something because it’s no good having an empty racecourse if people can’t afford to attend. We dropped the prices accordingly and the rest of the board were in total agreement with the decision.
“We feel £16 to come to our best enclosure is good value and sales have been very good for our first meeting, so hopefully that continues through the season.”
A recruitment programme to employ, and fully train, between 40 and 50 bar staff has been launched in the track’s off-season, with officials hoping to minimise staff absentees and the waiting time to be served for racegoers.
“Last year was a disaster on this front,” said Masterson. “At every meeting we had anything from six to 18 people just not turning up an hour and a half before racing, therefore it gave me headaches about closing bars or catering outlets.
“We had issues and people just did not want to work. I’m sure each racecourse has experienced similar things and we’ve done something that we hope will prove beneficial.”
Pat Masterson: managing director at Newton Abbot
Pat Masterson: managing director at Newton Abbot
Masterson said there has been an increase in prize-money across the track’s 18 fixtures although he shared grievances over the restrictions of the race programme.
“Our prize-money has increased and it's what we expect it to be but it can be frustrating,” said Masterson. “We have to stage six races rather than seven through the height of the summer, and we’re trying to put good prize-money on to get horses and owners here, but sometimes we’re restricted by the races we can stage and their maximum values.
“I’ve done the race programme about four times to add more money into it but it’s not easy.”
The course was waterlogged over the weekend after 50mm of rain last week but there are no concerns for Saturday’s fixture with a dry forecast in the lead up. The track's final meeting of the year is on October 21.
The Devon track stages its first meeting of 2023 on Saturday and sales have been “very good” according to managing director Pat Masterson, with the advance price for the paddock enclosure reduced to £16 and on-the-day price to £18. Admission to the course enclosure remains £12.
Newton Abbot’s average attendance of 2,070 last year was down by 524 compared to the pre-Covid levels in 2019.
Masterson said: “The economy is so rubbish and people are struggling to go racing, or to any other sporting event, or even buying food given how the prices are going up.
“When we were doing the budgets, it was pretty obvious that we were going to do something because it’s no good having an empty racecourse if people can’t afford to attend. We dropped the prices accordingly and the rest of the board were in total agreement with the decision.
“We feel £16 to come to our best enclosure is good value and sales have been very good for our first meeting, so hopefully that continues through the season.”
A recruitment programme to employ, and fully train, between 40 and 50 bar staff has been launched in the track’s off-season, with officials hoping to minimise staff absentees and the waiting time to be served for racegoers.
“Last year was a disaster on this front,” said Masterson. “At every meeting we had anything from six to 18 people just not turning up an hour and a half before racing, therefore it gave me headaches about closing bars or catering outlets.
“We had issues and people just did not want to work. I’m sure each racecourse has experienced similar things and we’ve done something that we hope will prove beneficial.”
Pat Masterson: managing director at Newton Abbot
Pat Masterson: managing director at Newton Abbot
Masterson said there has been an increase in prize-money across the track’s 18 fixtures although he shared grievances over the restrictions of the race programme.
“Our prize-money has increased and it's what we expect it to be but it can be frustrating,” said Masterson. “We have to stage six races rather than seven through the height of the summer, and we’re trying to put good prize-money on to get horses and owners here, but sometimes we’re restricted by the races we can stage and their maximum values.
“I’ve done the race programme about four times to add more money into it but it’s not easy.”
The course was waterlogged over the weekend after 50mm of rain last week but there are no concerns for Saturday’s fixture with a dry forecast in the lead up. The track's final meeting of the year is on October 21.
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These courses should be aiming to get as many people through the gates as possible hoping that many will spend once there. Agree more courses should be reducing prices for days when they know the events wont in themselves guarantee a big crowd. I'd be looking at reductions bigger than at NA but at least it is a common sense step in the right direction.
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great, well done them, so why dont the rest do it, why would they not want to help customers afford to go racing and once there spend which means they make more money in the end, they dont give a monkeys and ripp off punters and the punters stay away its a great business model for racing
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Most of them are doing it. ARCs many courses have reduced prices, was £12 when I went to Southwell last Friday (booked in advance). Jockey Club mostly reasonably priced anyway, going to Nottingham today £7 in advance with Racegoers Club membership.
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a lot turn up on the day, weather ok lets go racing, not sure its aimed at a serial racegoer
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If you go to https://www.hblb.org.uk/attendance and play around you can see some poor numbers e.g
Wed 04/01/2023 HEREFORD 762 Thu 05/01/2023 FFOS LAS 553 Fri 06/01/2023 LUDLOW 1,098 Sat 07/01/2023 SANDOWN PARK 2,348 Sat 07/01/2023 WINCANTON 1,438 Sun 08/01/2023 CHEPSTOW 679 Mon 09/01/2023 AYR 705 Mon 09/01/2023 TAUNTON 1,192 Tue 10/01/2023 DONCASTER 887 Tue 10/01/2023 EXETER 637 Wolverhampton had 104 on 18.01.23 On top of the admission cost, you've got the cost of getting there , probably a RP and £2.50 for a tea . Or you can get a full price RTV months subscription for that. |
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Try telling the Greedy " Chester Race Company Ltd " who also own Bangor and Musselburgh.
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That Sandown crowd is a stinker for a Grade 1 card, albeit likely a cold day.
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Chester cup day
£20 tatts £10 silver Doncaster last Saturday £18 in advance silver Haydock Saturday Easter family day cheapest ticket £22 |
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Jockey club the custodians of uk racing don’t really want to encourage racegoers.
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Jcr owned Cheltenham around £90 per day in tatts to be uncomfortable and face an ordeal leaving the course
Privately owned York 4 day badge tatts for the judmonte fixture £110 3 days of comfort and a busy Saturday no big issue getting out. |
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For those who like silver rings you can choose between one day at haydock and one day at Doncaster or 4 days at York in august
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The cheapest ticket at Ascot for the family day on Sunday was £25, which I thought was rather steep.
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Privately owned Ripon silver the car and 4 occupants for £20 that would be £72 at arc owned Doncaster,jcr owned haydock silver closed on some summer Saturdays,families welcomei in tatts for £20 to mingle with the Liverpool and united supporters.
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Yes strontium that’s a bit steep November 4th cheapest ticket £30 but you do get a firework display
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In fairness to Ascot, I got a half price deal for that card, so got in for £15. And it's an excellent firework display
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These courses should be aiming to get as many people through the gates as possible hoping that many will spend once there.
Sun 08/01/2023 CHEPSTOW 679 Mon 09/01/2023 AYR 705 Mon 09/01/2023 TAUNTON 1,192 Tue 10/01/2023 DONCASTER 887 Tue 10/01/2023 EXETER 637 an interesting experiment would be to make admission free just to gauge how much actual interest there is ... |
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They should all reverse this card only decision, and allow people to enter who wish to pay by cash, and accept cash at the bars inside. How can they know how many people are staying away because they prefer to use cash.
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It's just a few data points, but in 2012, Newbury rescheduled the Betfair hurdle card for a Thursday (because it was snowed off on the Saturday) and let everyone in free. Now that was a high class card (Long Run was running having won the Gold Cup the season before), but they expected a crowd of 2000, and got 9000.
They also used to have an Arab raceday, which was free entry, and they always got a decent crowd for that. Meanwhile, meetings at Towcester were usually free to get in (except at Easter/Boxing Day), and they regularly got crowds of several thousand. So, yes, greater free entry is an experiment worth trying IMO. When you're charging £7 a pint and £10 a burger, you don't need to sell much to the people who do go in to make your money. |
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Master papa your absolutely right I could give you many examples of disgruntled people not been able to use cash including and owner at haydock last season who’s horse won ,he had bet it cash and tools his family and friends of to the champagne bar ,when ordering he was told card only so instead ordered some taxis to take him to a wine bar in Ashton in makerfield and spent it there
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just make sure you check their bags on the way in, get 6 pints for £4 in tesco
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Hulk, I've been to cricket grounds where I couldn't take in a can of cola, not because I might use it as a weapon, but because it wasn't made by the match sponsor. After that, almost anything seems reasonable
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Don’t wish to nit pick strontium but it was a Friday ,the race was run 2 years on the bounce on a Friday.
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Take your word for it. I was there, but it was a long time ago. That really is a nitpick!
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strontium, the Sandown Tolworth card was on a train strike day. That course suffers greatly when no/little public transport. I do wonder sometimes what the business model of some of these courses is. Do they take a flat £ from contracted-out bars/food vendors? Or a % of turnover? If the latter, it makes sense to cut entrance fee. Whenever this point is raised, whatever other racecourses do, they could improve by doing whatever York do. Entrance £ is fine but the value to be had from food and drink is the best in racing.
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I was also there you rightly say it was a very good card sorry for nitpicking
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Good point about the train strike Donegal - I had forgotten that, and you're absolutely right.
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On the cad that day strontium two future champion chasers two future gold cup winners and a Lexus winner plus an all round very good card all for free
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After that card at Newbury you could have seen king George,Ryanair,gold cup and Hennessy winners the following day at ascot how good was jump racing then
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You forgot a dual winner of the Foxhunter
and a Gold Cup runner up. Two Triumph hurdle winners wan in the Betfair hurdle. A winner at the Festival and Royal Ascot (!) ran in the staying handicap hurdle, as did a dual winner of the Pertemps Final.It really was outstanding, looking back. How many Festival winners ran on that card altogether? Mind you, anyone who picked Coneygree as a future Gold Cup winner when being beaten 20 l in the bumper did well |
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Beau vista I will always remember
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Royal ascot winner has got me
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Of course poor old darlan may have been very good
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Junior royal ascot
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Is right.
I think 12 individual Festival winners ran on that Newbury card, as well as a host of other notables (e.g. Burton Port, What Friend, The Giant Bolster, and poor old Getmeout ofhere). Wow. |
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As I say where’s it all gone wrong. At the likes of Newbury and sandown
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Strontium: You gave the examples of Newbury and Towcester as courses which have tried free entry, and pronounced it a success. Are you sure? Because one of those courses is now dying on its @rse, while the other one has closed for good.
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I didn't pronounce it a success, I said it is an experiment worth trying. Towcester could be a good counter-argument. I don't know why it went bust.
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I do think free entry, except perhaps in exceptional circumstances, is a step too far. £5 charge would be good enough to encourage numbers to turn up. The Racing UK schemes are also good and I could be extended (more days with free entry for members).
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