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Chester Racecourse named as a Finalist for the Racecourse Association’s Showcase & Awards

Published on 5 October 2022

Chester Racecourse is delighted to announce we have been named as a Finalist for the Racecourse Association’s Showcase & Awards in partnership with Great British Racing, Racing Post, the Racing Foundation and Racing Together.

The Showcase & Awards is the marquee event of British racecourses and celebrate excellence and innovation in racecourse operations and raceday experience.

Chester Racecourse has been listed as a Finalist in the Food & Beverage category as well as the Racing Together Community. From the five finalists in each category, the winner will be revealed at the Showcase & Awards ceremony on Thursday 10th November at Pontefract Racecourse.

The Food & Beverage Award identifies excellence and innovation in racecourse food and beverage in both its quality and delivery. Entries were asked to reflect both the food and beverage choices from conception to plate, as well as the level of service underpinning the operation. Consideration should be given to provenance and environmental impact.

Louise Stewart, CEO at Chester Racecourse, said: “I’m delighted that PARADE has been recognised by the RCA for its outstanding service and offering.

PARADE is a completely unique setting for a race day and has cemented Chester’s place as one of the best racecourses not only in the country, but also in the world for its first-class facilities. The team who manages PARADE work incredibly hard to ensure everything is perfect, including down to the tiniest details. We are all looking forward to the awards ceremony on 10th November and will have everything crossed until then.”

Paul Swain, Communications and Raceday Experience Manager at the RCA, added, “I am thrilled for Chester Racecourse for their success in being named a Finalist at the 2022 Showcase & Awards.

“After three long years, it is fitting the Showcase & Awards has returned with such a quality and diverse list of Finalists. They represent the best of British Racecourses and should all be immensely proud of the work they’ve done in the past year. We now turn to Pontefract on Thursday 10th November to find out the winners and the new additions to the Showcase hall of fame.”

Food & Beverage Finalists

Arena Racing Company—Reimagining Jockeys’ Catering
Ascot—The Mindful Bar
Chester—PARADE at Chester Racecourse
Pontefract—Huggamug @ The Pavilion
York—Champagne Pavilion

The Racing Together Community Award recognises initiatives relating to the local community, environment or charitable causes. Entries were asked to demonstrate how a community engagement programme has and continues to improve relationships with the local community through working with key stakeholders.

John Blake, Chief Executive Officer of Racing Together said: “Congratulations to the finalists and all the entrants for this year’s Racing Together Community Award and thanks to the Racecourse Association for promoting the importance of racecourses’ community engagement for the past eight years.

“Last year’s RCA Racecourses Together event underlined the immediate, creative and generous responses of racecourses nationwide to the impact of Covid on their communities. Since the sport has resumed a more normal pace, it is so encouraging that varied outreach programmes have not only continued but have both grown, and targeted their efforts to meet some specific priorities of their neighbours. Racing Together is committed to support and showcase how racecourses add value and achieve real impact year-round.”

Louise Stewart, CEO at Chester Racecourse, said: “It’s brilliant that our marketing teams efforts and hard work have been recognised by the RCA. As a city-centre racecourse, we are keenly aware of how much our business impacts the local community, and we always try to give back to our local community as much as we possibly can.

The Chester Loves Racegoers campaign has been used in our 2022 fixtures, to stress the importance to racegoers of looking after our incredible city when they leave the racecourse itself. Our marketing and design team have created impactful communications plans and artwork assets to instil this message through our various channels and it’s great to see the RCA acknowledging their amazing work.”

Racing Together Community Finalists

Aintree—Harnessing The Power Of The People’s Race

Ascot—Celebrating The Platinum Jubilee

Catterick—Platinum Jubilee Raceday

Chester—Chester Loves Racegoers. Love it Back.

Scottish Racing—Scottish Racing In The Community

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