Drinks prices cut, crowds capped and car parking upgrades - Cheltenham's changes explained

Cheltenham has announced a series of changes to the customer experience ahead of the upcoming season and the festival in March, with the course hoping to continue its "focus on delivering a world-class raceday experience for all attendees and providing better value for money for all racegoers".

But what are the key changes and how are they expected to benefit racegoers?

• Guinness gets cheaper as Cheltenham unveils barrage of changes after years of falling crowds 

Drinks prices

Cheltenham has come in for plenty of criticism for its food and beverage prices over recent years and has taken the decision to reduce the price of draught beers and cider for this season. The headline change is that a pint of Guinness will be reduced from its existing price of £7.80 to £7.50, a reduction that applies across all 16 racedays at Cheltenham. This takes the price of a pint of Guinness back to 2022 levels. Some minor reductions to the price of spirits have also been made, while Prosecco will be on the menu for the first time.

The price of a pint of Guinness at Cheltenham has dropped 30p to £7.50Credit: Edward Whitaker (racingpost.com/photos)

Removal of drinks restrictions

Following a trial that was widely praised last season when the racecourse increased the number of areas where drinks were permitted on course, all remaining drinks restrictions will be lifted in the Club Enclosure for the upcoming season. Being able to move more freely with drinks around the racecourse improved the raceday experience and helped reduce queues, while on-course bookmakers said it aided a revival of the betting ring at the festival. 

Upgraded PA system

There is nothing worse than being unable to see and hear what is going on at a racecourse and Cheltenham has made a major investment in its PA system for the new season. This will allow racegoers to hear the commentary more clearly, while upgraded racecourse TV coverage is being provided by RaceTech in partnership with RaceIQ, giving racegoers more live information and data on screen during the day.

Cheltenham: racegoers will be able to see and hear the action more clearly this seasonCredit: Edward Whitaker (racingpost.com/photos)

Ticket pricing

Additional discount windows have also been introduced, giving racegoers the opportunity to buy tickets at a reduced price for longer. Racegoers will be able to buy tickets at the early-bird rate until December, at a lowest cost of £47. For the first time since 2019, the Wednesday of the festival will be promoted as Ladies’ Day, with the focus on growing the number of female racegoers. 

• Watch: Cheltenham chief executive Guy Lavender discusses the racecourse's changes

Reduced capacity

The overall capacity at the 2026 festival will be reduced from 68,500 to 66,000 each day. This follows a full review of racegoer feedback, with the course hoping it will allow it to "deliver the highest level of customer experience for everyone". Not only aimed at easing overcrowding in certain areas on the racecourse, the reduction is aimed at making the experience "more enjoyable" for racegoers making their way to and from the racecourse. Cheltenham has also promised to continue to "focus on car parking, the welcome racegoers receive and overall customer service".

Cheltenham's capacity will be reduced from 68,500 to 66,000Credit: David Fitzgerald (Getty Images)

Room to Race

The price of accommodation during the festival has become a huge bone of contention for customers, with the course "actively engaging with hotel providers to offer more affordable rates". Last year saw the introduction of Room to Race, in partnership with the travel operator Venatour, offering more than 500 accommodation options at reduced rates for racegoers. Having seen a positive take-up, Cheltenham has expanded this initiative for the 2026 Cheltenham Festival, working with more hotel providers in a bid to offer a greater variety of options.

• Watch: West Country correspondent James Stevens on the changes

Redesign of the tented village and bars

A new covered food court will make its debut in the tented village this season, providing an expanded food and drink selection in an undercover environment for Club and Tattersalls ticket holders. Two bars within the main grandstand, Cottage Rake and Mill House, will undergo refurbishment and reopen at the October meeting as one new bar named Prestbury View. This means that five of the seven bars in the main grandstand have been refurbished in 2025. There will also be additional food and drink zones located around the racecourse.

Read these next:

Cheltenham moves to halt festival crowds slump with cheaper Guinness and reduced capacity among the changes 

Cheltenham changes need to work - racing cannot afford for the festival to be anything less than the pinnacle  

Sign up to receive On The Nose, our essential daily newsletter, from the Racing Post. Your unmissable morning feed, direct to your email inbox every morning