Cheltenham Unveils Customer-Focused Changes Ahead of New Season

Cheltenham Racecourse has announced a series of changes aimed at improving the racegoer experience, including cheaper drinks, an upgraded festival Ladies Day, and reduced daily capacity for its flagship March meeting.

The new jumping season at Prestbury Park begins on 24 October, with the 2026 Cheltenham Festival scheduled for 10–13 March. Attendance has dipped sharply in recent years – from 280,627 in 2022 to just 41,949 on the second day this year, the lowest figure for any Festival day since 1993.

To tackle the decline, Ladies Day will return on Wednesday 11 March, marking its first appearance since 2019. That day’s crowd has been hardest hit, down 34% in three years.

Other key changes include:

• Cheaper drinks: The price of a pint of Guinness will drop from £7.80 to £7.50, alongside reductions across the bar. Prosecco will also be served at the Festival for the first time.

• Improved facilities: A new covered food court in the Tented Village will provide extra shelter, while upgraded AV systems and big screens aim to improve the on-course experience.

• More freedom with drinks: Following a successful trial, punters in the Club enclosure can now enjoy their beverages without restrictions.

• Capacity cut: Numbers will be slightly reduced each day to improve comfort levels.

These updates continue the reforms introduced by chief executive Guy Lavender, who took charge in early 2025. Last season, he froze ticket prices and worked with travel company Venatour to offer more affordable accommodation.

Lavender said:

“We know value for money is vital when people decide which events to attend. Sometimes that’s about prices, other times it’s about improving the quality of the experience. We’ll continue to make changes on course – and work with partners off course – to make Cheltenham more appealing.”

Festival tickets are currently on sale at early bird prices of £47 (Best Mate), £67 (Tatts), and £100 (Club), rising after 4 December.