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Epsom crowd
Epsom crowd
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I think probably the most obvious answer is we are in the middle of a massive recession. Bingo
Even the wealthy middle class cant afford to go racing any more |
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too much wealth with too few and the gap is widening with rising prices everywhere going to shareholders
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Swifty
The hill hasn’t been free for quite a few years now. |
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Do people actually believe were in a recession or a cost of living crisis?
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The hill is still free according to their website.
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I’m not 100. % on it laying but pretty sure it changed around 10 years ago ,I will try and find out for certain .
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By the way liked your 1826 post
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seems wages are not keeping pace with prices. both ends being squeezed companies wanting cheaper labour while raising prices
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22,312 paying customers yesterday, including having to pay for children.
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The Hill is free , as per the Epsom website
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COL crisis or no COL crisis no family is spending probably nearly a grand for a day out at epsom for family of 4 or 5,any COL crisis hass probably just made people look at prices more as usual public ahead of retail/hospitality bosses,also think covid made alot of people think if they cut out frivolous spending they can retire earlier,spend less time at work,more time with kids/grandkids etc, COVID MADE ALOT OF PEOPLE TAKE STOCK
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Totally agree 1sttp
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Argree with 1sttp, people do have money but modern living has more expenses now,Sky, Netlfix etc, mobile contracts,more car ownership, holidays abroad,,dearer housing costs,plus other smaller frivolous costs.
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Regarding the cost on the downs you can still walk on free of charge but nowadays if you take a car on its £30 which wasn’t the case around 10 years ago.
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racing cant sell itself on the actual racing/betting ,so theyve basically tried to turn it in to a 6 hr theme park to attract familes, not sure who does racings marketing,but if the local fair asrrives at your local park you use with kids for 51 weeks a yr,you try your best ,to asvoid that park,hope the kids dont hear about it,want to go etc becauser the cost for 2 /3 kids is horrendus,but racing imports these attractions to racecourse, if you wanted attractions for kids you avoid raceourse tkt,food drink,prices and take kids elsewhere for a day out
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https://www.thejockeyclub.co.uk/epsom-derby/plan-your-day/enclosures/the-hill/
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yet if you scroll down Only available on Derby Day on Saturday 7 June
Exclusive access to a bright and colourful, family friendly haven on the famous Hill at the Derby Festival All day entertainment for the whole family, from tots to young teens, parents and grandparents Take your pick from a fun-packed programme of events and performances Explore and enjoy each zone: entertainment zone, activity zone; food village & picnics zone Welcome to bring your own picnic or choose from a selection of exciting food and drink stalls Never miss a moment of the racing action and much more on the big screens Easily place a bet with the Tote or with a bookmaker Wet weather or shade cover available Dedicated toilet facilities including baby changing One car parking pass per 4 tickets (for advance bookings only) Free admission for children up to 11yrs! View our Picnic Policy here All day entertainment for the whole family |
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Royal ascot 2025 sales update
Overall sales still very strong ,with the village and Windsor enclosures being described as very strong. All enclosures have increased sales when compared to same period 2024. People queueing in Costa this morning to pay just short of a fiver for a cup of coffee |
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Royal Ascot features the King and assorted hangers-on. The Derby yesterday didn't. I think the royal attendance makes a difference when it comes to telling the population that this is something of national importance and you need to be there. Charles' mother made a point of turning up every year at Epsom, and that put it on a par with Royal Ascot, with its still-strong ticket sales.
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I agree with that screaming however there has to be more to it with that to get such poor attendance,there no royalty at Perth or goodwood today yet both have huge crowds.
Why don’t jcr give Wednesday a try for say 3 years and take it from there ? |
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Oh sure there is way more to it than that, jimnast. I was just pointing out one of the things which has changed from the glory days of the race. The special-event status conferred on the race by running it on the first Wednesday in June is definitely another. That aura of tradition is something precious - you just can't buy it - yet Epsom and the Jockey Club threw it away.
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Yes they did screaming what a shame,they blamed the weather forecast as part of the reason yesterday well I went to Worcester a very similar forecast yet the place was heaving a few left when the rain came but only a few.
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if you sell a 100,000 advance tkts it an pish down all day as far as epsom is concerned,its june people arnt going to be put off buying advance tkts because they think it will be raining ,if thay want to go to the derby, FLAMING JUNE, RA in 10 days are racegoers hanging on for the weather fcast,with the cost involved excluding corporate,freebies,doing both is a massive £ commitment,both courses looking for same punters,RA easier to get to,more /closer accomodation,they dont even try to sell epsom as a 2 day event
X today full of journo,s/pundits etc getting paid to attend, freebie food, drink,travel,trying to beg locals to come so their gravey boat can continue sailing un abated same with GOLF 30/40 yrs golf cliubs did everythig to stop the plebs bolking a tee time,becoming members etc now their members are dying off,to old to play,etc,golf clubs begging anyone and everyone to become members,cheap green fees,advertising everywhere around their club,30/40 yrs they paid security to stop you even looking through the fence let alone join |
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More atmosphere @ Perth today compared to Epsom yesterday.
They must be running a good ship up there as it's always well attended, 4 or 5 deep a furlong out seems the norm. |
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The Derby was once known as the people’s race – but if you wanted to attend on Saturday and have your son or daughter share in the full magic of Derby day, it would have cost you at least £135.
For a child aged between five and 17, the cheapest ticket allowing access to the parade ring was £50 on Derby day. A place in the Queen Elizabeth II Stand? That’ll be £70, for a child. For a family of four, the prices were £270 and £470 respectively. |
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Let's be honest it's NOT the Grand National despite the easier fences and never will be however you promote the race.
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It once was, Hayden. I remember working in an office in Merton Park, SW London in 1987, and the firm's owners (a pair of Poles) were perfectly happy for everyone to stop work that afternoon to listen to the Derby commentary. They understood what the race meant back then. And no one working in that office (all graduates - it was a medical translation company) ignored the race or feigned indifference. It really was part of the rhythm of the English year for everyone.
But the jockey Club knew nothing of that and threw it away. |
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jimnast, i went to worcester 1st time last week did a bit of walking in the Malvern hills , but i thought worcester was a fabulous city, the cathederal, the cricket ground the race track and a lovely river walk , will definetly visit again when racing is on .
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Been to New Road many times elis when Glenn Turner was opening the batting
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christ only few years back theyd be hundreds by the starting gate at epsom,
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hayden , was it worcester that graeme hick played for ? ps last week on our walk we passed Eastnor castle only around eg 15 miles from worcester , and actually there was an over 50s game worcs v hereford going on, what a lovely little place
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£70 for a child of 5yo. And they want to encourage families!
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claire balding on racecourse comitee , says it all , on comitee who thought good idea to light fireworks 15 mins prior to the derby
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Epsom boss to go 'back to basics' in bid to boost Derby festival after notable drop in attendance.
Epsom's new general manager has said that "everything is on the table" in his mission to improve the Derby festival after a notable drop in crowd numbers at the track's flagship meeting. Jim Allen, a former trainer who took over the role in November, plans to adopt a stripped-back approach to bolstering the appeal of the Derby meeting after crowd figures dropped by more than 4,500 to 22,312 on Saturday compared to last year, with a similar drop of 3,000 to 15,133 on Oaks day. "There's a lot to review here, as Sinndar [in 2000] was my last Derby experience," Allen said. "I've spent the time taking in the sheer size and scale of the venue and I've very much been observing everything. "I went into every enclosure, building and hospitality room over the Oaks and Derby days, and in general there were a lot of compliments and virtually no crowd issues. 'It's dead everywhere' - one of racing's crown jewels is being tarnished by Epsom's crowd crisis Epsom boss to go 'back to basics' in bid to boost Derby festival after notable drop in attendance "I've seen things I'd like to change and the plan going forward is to analyse the performance of every enclosure and structure. Everything is on the table. I'll be looking at pricing, what the offer of each enclosure is and how it compares nationally and internationally. "I want to strip it right back to the basics and approach it from the idea of if it was my own business, what would I like to do? "We need to make ourselves more appealing. I want to see attendances going in the other direction and that means there will likely be some enclosure changes." While Epsom faced the brunt of an unsettled forecast, which included a yellow weather warning on Derby day, Allen acknowledged it was not the only factor in reduced sales and a diminished showing on the free-to-access Hill. "We'd been tracking on par with last year's ticket sales until the final six to eight weeks, when things just didn't pick up like we'd expect," he said. "I think the long-range forecast probably didn't help, but there are other factors in play too, including the cost of living crisis which is a national issue. "Attendances at the Derby have been declining, but I think a lot of focus has been put there, and it's not really the most important number we should be looking at. We're very hopeful our customer experience scores will be very high. Jim Allen is back in his hometown of Epsom after an astonishingly varied life in racing Epsom general manager Jim Allen Credit: Edward Whitaker "I'm keen to improve attendances, but it's still an event attended by tens of thousands of people. My focus this year has really been on making sure everyone had a good time and there's been lots of great feedback." Among the positive reactions from the meeting has been the increased field size for the Derby, in which 18 runners went to post for the first time since 2017. Allen said: "I would love and hope to get 20 runners every year and I'd like to make that a key success indicator going forward. I was delighted we had French runners and I really hope they keep coming back after they ran great races. I'd want to get overseas runners from elsewhere too. "Overall the race is fantastic, but we have opportunities around the site to further enhance the whole day. I've got thoughts for that and they've been going around in my head since I started, but we'll discuss it as a group before we make any decisions." Read £470 for a family of four? Epsom has lots of issues but reducing scandalous kids’ prices should be an easy win Front runner |
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weve been told 24/7 by itv.racing tv etc a superstar attracts the crowd,if you get a superstar you aint getting 20 runners,the reason you got 18 was people thought it was wide open, horses/trainers dictate size of the field not epsom, typical they put something they cant control top of their list and things they can control tkt prices,food and drink prices bottom of their list
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Yes elis , came in at 3 but sometimes 4 depending on the match status.
Used to have a water problem back in those days regarding the river , if it overflowed may as well not travel |
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Onestopracing wrote -
The Derby stands as one of the world’s most prestigious horse races—a true symbol of both sporting excellence and British cultural heritage. It 'was' a symbol of British cultural heritage. People took the day off work to go to it. People had sweepstakes, everyone knew Nijinsky won the Derby with Piggott on it (surname, not Lester). Go out and ask someone what won the Derby yesterday they'll ask you what's the Derby ? British cultural heritage now is going into Tesco express, picking up 11 bottles of wine and casually walking out the front door without paying for them. You won't change it. Remember it for what it was. |
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People associate the Epsom Derby with gypsies and fun fairs.
Royal Ascot, to its credit, has somewhat cleaned up its image - since the days of tawdry photos of drunken racegoers having it off. |
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Good morning elisjohn
Yes Worcester is a great city in fact I spent a couple of hours in the centre during racing on Saturday nipping in and out of the bookies to watch Epsom and Musselburgh on the tele,even called in the dragon for a nice pint from Church End brewery. My first visit to Worcester was st leger day 1982 Fred winter had acquired a horse called neat from Jeremy tree owned by jock Whitney the horse had won easily at Newton abbot on its hurdles debut and was running at Worcester that afternoon with Johnny francome riding he made it look very easy ,I remember saying to the lad who I went to Worcester with this could be a very good horse ,the older and wiser lad said it’s only early season form you will have forgotten about the horse by Christmas,he was right,the st leger that day was won by touching wood who I only say on YouTube yesterday afternoon chasing Golden Fleece home in the derby and by absolute coincidence the horse I backed that year was trained by Jeremy tree and owned by jock Whitney a horse called peacetime,the YouTube programme I watched was about Golden Fleece I hadn’t realised in the race before the derby he easily beat assert who went on to win the benson and hedges now the judmonte even back then it was one of the world’s strongest races and stannera who won twice at the same royal ascot meeting,we will never know how good Golden Fleece could have been my feeling is exceptionally good. |
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I meant to add since 1982 the racecourse has recently built a new weighing room and had some decking put down by the parade ring nothing else has changed I don’t even think it has seen any paint,however it is what it is.
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