Cheltenham make moves to enhance customer experience at Festival
As well as announcing six changes to the race programme for the 2025 Cheltenham Festival, the Jockey Club have made modifications aimed at enhancing customer experience and providing racegoers with better value-for-money.
These include increasing the hard-standing trackway in the grass car parks to cover an area the size of 17 football pitches after the wet weather caused significant issues in March.
A new park and ride system is to be launched within easy access of Cheltenham, while The Jockey Club has partnered with National Express to offer coach travel direct to the track from more than 20 pick-up locations, doubling the number of coaches currently running to the venue.
There’s the promise of more course-facing areas to enjoy a drink with the aim of easing queues and reducing the need to rush between races. Bar facilities are also being upgraded to give more choice and indoor seating.
Hot and cold meal deals will be offered, giving racegoers the opportunity to save money when buying any hot and soft drinks with food throughout the day and at multiple outlets.
In addition, all ticket prices for the 2025 Cheltenham Festival have been frozen at 2024 levels, and anyone purchasing a ticket for a day of the meeting will be given a 20% discount on any tickets purchased for other days of the event apart from Gold Cup Friday.
The 10% discount on group bookings has been reduced from 15 to ten or more people.
And as announced earlier in the month, organisers have entered into a new partnership alongside Venatour Racing with the aim of providing racegoers with the opportunity to purchase discounted packages including tickets, hotels and travel in a one-stop shop initiative known as ‘Room To Race’.
Ian Renton, The Jockey Club’s Managing Director of Cheltenham Racecourse, said the changes follow an extensive review which began after this year's Festival.
He said: “The Cheltenham Festival is the very pinnacle of our sport and the best-attended and most prestigious Jump Racing meeting anywhere in the world. As with any major event it is important to evolve and improve to ensure everyone who joins us throughout the week has the best possible experience.
“As part of the process of reviewing this year’s Festival we analysed data and extensive feedback, including surveys, one-to-one meetings and focus group sessions to seek views ranging from those who come every year all the way through to people who have never visited The Festival to find out why.
“Throughout the course of this review process there have been three distinct strands which have been impossible to ignore – value for money, the need to provide the best experience possible and the competitiveness of the race programme.
“We understand that when people are paying to attend premium events they expect a premium experience and that has been at the front of our minds when committing to significant investment to improve our car parks, launching a park and ride system and offering more course-facing areas to enjoy a drink while watching the racing.
“We also know that, at a time when we are all impacted by the rising cost of living, value is more important than ever. That’s why we have looked carefully at discounts to racegoers for multi-day packages, food and drink and even working hard to find solutions to the increasing cost of accommodation through our partnership with Venatour Racing.”
Value for money at the Cheltenham Festival
- All ticket prices for the 2025 Cheltenham Festival will be frozen at 2024 levels.
- Racegoers purchasing a ticket for any day of The Festival will be given a 20 per cent discount on any tickets purchased for other days of the event. Discounts will not be applied to Gold Cup day tickets.
- Groups of six people can save 10 per cent on ticket prices when booking together. Previously this discount was offered to groups of 15 or more.
- As announced earlier this month, The Jockey Club and Cheltenham Racecourse have entered into an exciting new partnership with leading sports tour operator Venatour Racing, which will give racegoers the opportunity to purchase discounted packages including tickets, hotels, travel and more in a one-stop shop initiative known as ‘Room To Race’.
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