Client Background

Cheltenham Racecourse is renowned for hosting the prestigious Cheltenham Festival, a highlight of the National Hunt racing calendar, with the Cheltenham Gold Cup as its crown jewel. The festival attracts some of the biggest names in horseracing, as well as record-breaking crowds, making it a centrepiece of the UK’s sporting events.

In recent years, the Cheltenham Festival has continued to draw impressive crowds, with over 69,000 attendees on Gold Cup Day alone in 2024, and more than 250,000 visitors across the four-day event. Throughout the year, the racecourse welcomes over 700,000 visitors, making it one of the most operationally demanding venues of its type in the country.

Partnership

CleanEvent Services and Cheltenham Racecourse
CleanEvent Services has been a trusted partner of Cheltenham Racecourse for many years, providing tailored and comprehensive cleaning solutions that meet the venue’s unique demands. The partnership has seen us deliver consistent and high-quality services across the racecourse’s varied facilities, including the iconic Centaur, a 4,000 capacity multi-use indoor venue, and the more recently developed Grandstand and Royal Box.

Tailored Cleaning Solutions

To meet the challenges of such a dynamic and high profile venue, we offer flexible and tailored cleaning services. A permanent team of six staff members is based at Cheltenham Racecourse, dedicated to maintaining the venue year-round. This team expands to 200 employees during peak events, such as The Cheltenham Festival, ensuring that all areas are cleaned to the highest standards, even during the most demanding times.

All additional staff members are fully vetted, trained and mobilised, allowing us to maintain the quality and efficiency of our services during large-scale events. This level of adaptability and preparation is essential for handling Cheltenham’s busy event calendar, which includes:

• 16 high-profile international race days between October and May
• The Gold Cup Festival, attracting over 250,000 visitors annually
• Major outdoor events, including the Greenbelt and Wychwood Festivals, with visitor numbers ranging from 10,000 to 25,000
• Regular weddings, parties, concerts, exhibitions, meetings, conferences and visitors to the National Hunt Hall of Fame
• The British Open Snooker and Darts Masters along with high profile music and cultural events.

Challenges and Solutions

Managing the cleaning operations at a venue as vast and diverse as Cheltenham Racecourse presents numerous challenges. Some of the most significant include:

High Footfall and Large Crowds
The Cheltenham Festival and other major events attract tens of thousands of visitors, creating an immense amount of foot traffic and waste. All areas of the racecourse are maintained to the highest standards throughout.

Weather-Related Challenges
As an outdoor venue, Cheltenham Racecourse is subject to unpredictable weather conditions, which can significantly impact our cleaning operations. Rain, mud, and wind can quickly lead to increased cleaning requirements. A flexible cleaning approach is implemented that adapts to the changing weather conditions that are a feature of the National Hunt season. This includes using weather-appropriate cleaning equipment and materials, as well as strategically positioning cleaning teams throughout the venue to respond swiftly to any issues that arise. Continuous communication and a strong helpdesk function ensure that cleaning efforts are coordinated and effective, regardless of the weather.

Complex Event Calendar
Cheltenham Racecourse’s event calendar is packed with a variety of events, from The Festival to weddings, conferences and concerts. Each event has its own unique requirements and the permanent team is involved in the planning and preparation for all events. This proactive approach allows us to deliver a consistent service, regardless of the event type or size.

Sustainability and Recycling Success

One of the standout achievements of our partnership with Cheltenham Racecourse has been our contribution to the venue’s sustainability goals. A thorough review and optimisation of litter-picking operations and waste management processes led to an exceptional 67% recycling rate for accumulated waste at the racecourse. This achievement significantly boosted the racecourse’s sustainability profile, making it one of the top venues in the UK for landfill avoidance.

This success is a testament to the commitment of CleanEvent Services and Cheltenham Racecourse to environmental responsibility. As a result, Cheltenham Racecourse now stands as a leader in sustainable practices within the UK’s horseracing industry.

Conclusion

Our partnership with Cheltenham Racecourse exemplifies our ability to deliver exceptional cleaning services in complex and high-pressure environments. Through tailored solutions, proactive planning and a strong commitment to sustainability, we have played a key role in enhancing the visitor experience at one of the UK’s most iconic racing venues.

The ongoing success of our partnership is reflected not only in the pristine condition of the racecourse during major events like The Cheltenham Festival, but also in the long-term sustainability achievements that have positioned Cheltenham Racecourse as a leader in the industry.

“On behalf of The Jockey Club, I am writing to thank you and your team for the help, contribution and sheer effort that went into delivering The 2023 Cheltenham Festival in terms of the racing and customer experience. It has been hailed as one of the best ever and this despite various challenges along the way, including train strikes.

As you will be aware, the numbers and statistics that The Festival create are considerable, but nothing compared with the work and effort that goes into delivering what is regarded as being one of the most significant sporting events in the country.

Much of this work effort is unseen, especially in the buildup, which doesn’t happen by luck, accident or magic. Thanks once again for all the effort that you have put in and know this is reflected in the successful delivery of The 2023 Festival.”

Steve Finch, Regional Building and Maintenance Manager