Go-ahead for £5m York racecourse plans
Proposals from the course’s owner to improve the southern end of the complex have been given the green light.
On submitting the plans, York Racecourse said that the investment would se improvements for racing fans, with additional lawns, seating, catering outlets, toilets, bars, betting facilities and big screens, all landscaped to reflect the summer nature of the Flat racing venue.
Yorkshire firm Dawson Williamson is the architect for the project. The professional team also features planner Turnberry Consulting, Alan Baxter Associates, PM, principal designer and cost consultant Frank Whittle Partnership, Topping Engineers and Horizon.
Essentially, the plan is to create racegoer lawns beneath a high-level canopy, similar to the John Carr canopy are introduced at the northern end of the venue in 2015.
York said that the ability to follow races live from the Bustardthorpe Stand and Knavesmire Stand will be retained.
Specific elements include the replacement of the 1950s-built addition to the Bustardthorpe’s rear, and refurbishing the 1913-built stand in general; improving the Theakston’s Bar; and making a permanent home for the temporary Roberto Village Bar.
The course, regarded as one of the blue-chip venues on the racing circuit, dates back to the 18th century and attracts around 350,000 racegoers a year.
Improvement projects have been carried out steadily over the last quarter-century, with the building of the Knavesmire Stand in 1996, Ebor Stand in 2002, improvement of the racing surface in 2008, Northern End development in 2015 and Clocktower Enclosure improvements in 2018.
