Cheltenham racecourse is set to experience a decrease in attendance for the third consecutive year at the 2025 festival. The total attendance last year was 229,999, down 18% from the record of 280,627 in 2022. Complaints regarding the costs of admission, food, and accommodation have contributed to this trend. Despite new measures aimed at enhancing customer experience and freezing ticket prices, the anticipated drop suggests the promotional initiatives have not enticed enough racegoers. Chief executive Guy Lavender noted the effects of accommodation costs are being addressed with a local partnership.
The overall attendance at last year's Cheltenham festival was 229,999, a drop of 18% on the record attendance of 280,627 in 2022.
Lavender added: The decline is not catastrophic but nor are we seeing growing attendances.
The admission that crowds are still expected to drop suggests that another initiative offering a ticket for a second day at a meeting from Tuesday to Thursday at a 20% discount has not caught the imagination of racegoers.
We have heard both anecdotally and directly that the cost of accommodation is impacting attendance, Lavender said.
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