Horse racing fans were left shocked after prices for drinks at this year’s Cheltenham Festival were revealed.
Punters have descended on the Cotswolds for an action-packed week of racing, which kicked off with another impressive display by bookies’ favourite Kopek des Bordes, who stormed home to victory in the 13.20 meet.
There were a host of famous faces in attendance, too, with legendary former Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson joined by his ex-players Jonny Evans and John O’Shea. England goalkeeper Jordan Pickford also made a visit.
But the one thing all punters were talking about away from the racing were the beer prices at the famous venue, with fans taking to social media to express their anger.
Despite predicted record sales of Guinness this year, Cheltenham bosses have decided to increase the price of the popular bevarage by 30p, charging punters £7.80.
One fan shared a receipt for a round of four Guinness with Mail Sport, coming to the cost of £31.20.
Meanwhile, a premium lager costs 40p less than a Guinness at £7.40, while the alcohol free version of the Irish stout is valued at the same price.
Cheltenham Festival fans have been left shocked as they saw the price of £31.20 for just four pints of Guinness
The opening day of the famous annual event started with a confident win by Kopek des Bordes
Punters drink pints on the concourse at Cheltenham as day one gets underway
Wine lovers will be disappointed to find out that a 187ml costs £9.70, while the prices of spirits are kept between £7.20 and £7.30.
Soft drinks are priced at £3.10, while sparkling or still water would cost £2.50 – a 10 pence increased compared to last year.
Horse racing fans were quick to take to social media to fume at the costly alcohol prices.
‘Give it 4-5 years and the alcohol industry will be finished and they’ll only have themselves to blame,’ one said.
Another added: ‘No wonder people are heading abroad to watch it instead of going.
Furthermore, a further supporter said: ‘£7.40 for a 330ml can of beer, ripping people off just,’ while another agreed: ’40p cheaper for 0.0 what’s the point?’
Another added: ‘I hope people sneak their own in’
However, despite it being an expensive day out, the first day of this year’s Festival was a sell out, with fans desperate to get up close to see all the action.
Ian Renton, managing director of Cheltenham, explained the sudden increase in prices.
Fans have voiced their frustration on X (formerly Twitter) as a supporter shared a picture with drink prices at Cheltenham
‘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,’ he said.
‘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. As with any event of this size, it is never possible to make changes which are welcomed by everyone.
‘However, we have prioritised listening to our racegoers to put them and their experiences at the heart of the Festival, with the ultimate goal of delivering something that not only meets but exceeds expectations.’
