The Racecourse Prices Index: how much for food and drink at Hamilton?

The Racecourse Prices Index (RPI) is an occasional series, in which we report from each of Britain and Ireland's racetracks on the cost of going racing.

Racecourse report: entry, food and pint prices from Hamilton

Hamilton

Date visited: Monday, September 26, 2022

Was it a big day?

Low-key fare for the final meeting of the season but it was a local public holiday, so there was a decent attendance. It was billed as a family day and plenty of attractions were laid on for children.

How much was entry on the gate?

£28 on the day for an adult ticket (£22.50 if booked online the day before), £17.50 for concessions/students and free for under-18s.

Other than restaurants/hospitality, what were the food and beverage options?

The Paddock Cafe was busy with punters clearly keen to tuck into delicious-looking pizzas, paninis and wraps.

The burger van (Overton Farm Burgers) was quiet 60 minutes before racing, but as the crowds arrived plenty went along to sample the burgers and steak rolls.

If burgers did not take your fancy, there was 'The Chippy' next door. Fish and chips (or fish supper as they call it in Scotland) was available for £9.50.

Just a bit further along was a coffee van and racegoers did not seem to be deterred by the inflated prices of £3.50 for an Americano and £4 for a latte.

What's the damage?

Bottle of water: Free
Cheapest pint: £5.10 for Fosters. The only other beer available was Moretti, with nothing for ale drinkers
Guinness: £5.70 (can only)
Champagne: £75
Cheeseburger: £5.50

All drink prices taken from the main racecourse bar, or where there are multiple bars, one chosen at random.

What was the food like?

I am not a great fan of burgers so went with the steak and onions option. Not bad at all and fairly priced at £5.50. Decent quality meat and as many onions as you wanted.

And the queues?

Sixty minutes before racing began you could stroll up to the eating places at your leisure. As more people arrived it will still only a few minutes wait for your burger or fish and chips.

How did it go down with the punters?

Ian Forbes, from Hamilton said: “I like my burgers and this is a good one, very tasty and no complaints about the quality. I would rate it 8.2 out of 10. I’ve had burgers at other racecourses and I think maybe the one at Haydock shades it as the best I’ve had.

"At £5.50 I suppose it is a little pricey but you always expect to pay a little more than normal when you come to the races."

Read more from the Racecourse Prices Index series:

Ranked: where's the most expensive pint at British and Irish racecourses?

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