YORK RACECOURSE’S £5M TRANSFORMATION PLAN FOR SOUTHERN END RECEIVES APPROVAL

York Racecourse is celebrating the green light from the City of York Council’s planning authorities for its exciting development project set to revamp the southern area of the racecourse adjacent to the Knavesmire Stand. This marks a significant step forward in the ongoing mission to uphold York’s status as one of the world’s premier racecourses.

This substantial £5 million investment will bring about a host of improvements geared toward enhancing the race day experience for avid fans. These enhancements include expanded lawns, additional seating, new catering outlets, upgraded restroom facilities, bars, betting services, and larger viewing screens. All these elements will be thoughtfully landscaped to embody the venue’s summery atmosphere.

The project is slated for completion in the summer of 2024, with work commencing shortly to take full advantage of the favorable autumn weather conditions.

Crucially, the racecourse aims to preserve the ability for racegoers to enjoy live race action from both the Bustardthorpe Stand and Knavesmire Stand. The latter, in particular, remains a modern and comfortable grandstand, continuing to cater to the needs of race enthusiasts.

The vision for this development involves the creation of racegoer lawns, centrally located under an impressive high-level canopy, akin to the John Carr canopy that has shielded racegoers at the Northern End since 2015. This comprehensive plan also encompasses extensions and improvements to food and beverage offerings, restroom facilities, betting services, and screen viewing. Additionally, it includes a transformation of the back-of-house facilities for the raceday team, which can number up to 1,500 individuals, aligning with the standards of a world-class venue.

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Key highlights of this project include:

1. Refurbishment and enhancement of the 1913 Bustardthorpe Stand, providing prime live race viewing.
2. Replacement of the existing 1950s single-story extension behind the Bustardthorpe Stand with a high-quality extension designed to complement the architectural work of the renowned York architect, Walter Brierley.
3. Improvements to Theakston’s Bar, William Hill betting shop, restroom facilities, and food outlets.
4. The introduction of two new racegoer lawns, featuring an overarching canopy reminiscent of the one on the John Carr Terrace.
5. A more welcoming arrival experience, complete with a refurbished entrance featuring a striking gateway and improved accessibility.
6. Continuation of York Racecourse’s award-winning landscaping, including flowers, herbaceous borders, hedges, and tree planting.
7. The conversion of the temporary Roberto Village Bar facilities into a permanent single-story building, offering food, bars, and betting.
8. The incorporation of environmental and sustainability features, such as solar panels, sustainable water provisions, green living roofs, and infrastructure to support the Racecourse’s recycling initiatives, in alignment with York’s “Green Knavesmire 300” Environmental Strategy, striving to be carbon neutral by 2040.

This ambitious project was developed by Yorkshire-based Dawson Williamson Architects and focuses on enhancing the experience for racegoers in the Grandstand and Paddock areas. It follows recent multimillion-pound initiatives aimed at improving the experience for County Stand racegoers in the Northern End Development (2014-15) and the Clocktower Enclosure (2018). The primary goal is to elevate the visit to York for race enthusiasts, visitors, and the home team, rather than expanding attendance.

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With all necessary permissions now secured, the main contractor, York-based Lindum, along with a team of local trades, will initiate the major construction work immediately after the October Meeting, with the intention of being fully operational for the busy race days in the 2024 season. This will entail some operational changes during the final meeting, with racegoers being served at the Dayjur Bar in the Knavesmire Stand while the Theakston Bar undergoes redevelopment.

In recognition of the impact on both new and long-standing neighbors, a comprehensive plan will be implemented in collaboration with the trusted local contractor to ensure efficient site traffic management and timely delivery of the project.

William Derby, Chief Executive and Clerk of the Course, expressed his enthusiasm, stating, “With the green light now given to what is both an exciting and carefully considered scheme, I am delighted that work can get underway to further improve the experience of racing on the Knavesmire. It is only right to thank the team involved in getting us to this stage, I look forward to working with them to deliver it. These improvements are another sign of the clear vision held by the York Race Committee to ensure we remain one of the world’s best racecourses. The Committee has a track record of investing in the facilities, race program, and visitor experience.” This latest chapter aims to improve the facilities for racegoers in the Grandstand and Paddock area, following similar recent investments elsewhere. As a summer venue, we want to provide lawns to enjoy, however, we are mindful of the Yorkshire weather, so we are looking to repeat the success of the canopy that sits above the John Carr Terrace. Practical concerns around a better arrival experience, more restrooms, easier access to both food and drinks, and how we better support our raceday team all form part of this ambitious scheme. Having launched our Green Knavesmire 300 Environmental Strategy earlier this year, this application embeds key sustainability aspects, notably solar panels, green roofs, and sustainable water provision. We are pleased that planning has been granted, with many positive comments on the application, so the focus now switches to delivering these improvements for the busy race days of 2024.

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