Cheltenham Festival sees smallest crowd since 1993

The Cheltenham Festival was extended to four days, from three, in 2005

The smallest Cheltenham Festival crowd since 1993 was recorded on Wednesday, with 41,949 spectators at the track.

It was a drop of nearly 5,000 from last year and mirrored a fall in Tuesday's crowd which was down to 55,498 from 60,181.

Attendance for the Queen Mother Champion Chase day on Wednesday was nearly 65,000 in 2022. This year's figure was the lowest since 40,662 on the second day of the fixture 32 years ago.

Absent regulars have cited the cost of accommodation, tickets, travel and food and drink as reasons for missing the meeting, which was extended to four days from three in 2005.

Thousands have travelled to Spanish destinations, including Benidorm and Tenerife, to watch the action on big screens and say a week in the sunshine is cheaper than attending the fixture.

Racecourse chief executive Guy Lavender, who took over at the course earlier this year, wrote an open letter before the meeting which acknowledged that attendances would be down.

"The decline is not catastrophic but nor are we seeing growing attendances," he said.

Lavender told the BBC on Thursday: "We've invested a lot in car parking, in entertainment and how people go about the racecourse. It's all about delivery and we're doing that really well this year.

"We've removed some of the restrictions on how alcohol can be moved around so more people can enjoy a drink and watch the racing. I've got the sense that customers have loved it.

"The racing has been dramatic and it's been incredible. We want everyone to come here and enjoy the festival but people have choices to make. We've got to make sure they want to come back."

The total attendance for the week is still expected to pass 200,000 but will be signifcantly down on the record 280,000 that attended the first post-Covid meeting open to spectators in 2022.

In September, Festival organisers announced changes aimed at improving competition in races and the experience of racegoers.

A new park-and-ride system, additional coaches and extra hardstanding areas at the course for car parking have been introduced.

Cheltenham have frozen ticket prices, increased food and drink options and is exploring new accommodation deals.

Advance tickets ranged from £37 to £86 for each of the first three days, rising to between £53 and £102 for Cheltenham Gold Cup day on Friday, with prices on the day more expensive. A pint of Guinness at the course is up 30p to £7.80 this year.

Thursday’s attendance is likely to be similar to the 2024 figure of almost 54,000.

General admission for Gold Cup day has sold out, with nearly 70,000 expected at the Gloucestershire track.

"We will define success this week and beyond by whether we are delivering unforgettable days out for our customers and improving the experience for everyone in attendance and watching on at home," said Lavender in his open letter.

"We will be listening to all the feedback we receive from this year's festival and already have plenty of time set aside in the summer to begin the process of reviewing, resetting and rebuilding for the years ahead.”