£8m racecourse revamp is now complete
An £8m racecourse redevelopment delivered by York construction company Lindum will be showcased on an international stage this week.
Spectators across the world will be watching the action at York Racecourse from Wednesday, as its flagship 2024 Sky Bet Ebor Festival gets underway.
This year it will be set against a new backdrop as the racecourse’s recently renovated Southern End is unveiled in full for the first time.
Elvington-based Lindum Group has spent nine months carrying out building work including:
- Construction of the new Roberto Bar, which provides a fast-serve bar, a fish & chip shop and a cocktail/Pimms bar.
- Refurbishment of the historic 1913 Bustardthorpe Stand, including a new ground floor extension comprising toilets, catering outlets, William Hill shop, Tote outlet and extended and enhanced Theakston Bar.
- Construction of new 900 sq m Churchill Tyres Lawn and ETFE Canopy
Work also included installation of PV panels and a new drainage system, redesigned electric and gas installations and flowerbeds filled with RHS pollinators.
The canopy offers wet weather shelter while collecting the water down its supporting legs and into a 16,000-litre holding tank. This ‘grey water’ is then used to flush the toilets.
In addition, bespoke features were added, including a set of iron gates created by local blacksmith Andrew Brind, dedicated to the memory of Reg Bond, a successful Yorkshire businessman as well as a racehorse owner and breeder.
Lindum York managing director, James Nellist, said: “We are really looking forward to seeing the Southern End fully in use for the first time.
“The Ebor festival is a highlight in York’s calendar, and I can’t think of a better event through which to showcase this major investment by the racecourse team.
“As a local contractor, being able to play a part in maintaining and improving York Racecourse is important to us.
“It contributes millions of pounds to the city’s economy every year, supporting thousands of jobs and helping to maintain the livelihoods of people in our community.
“During this latest project, 75% of our contract spend was with subcontractors and suppliers within a few miles of site.
“We look forward to visiting the Ebor Festival and seeing our hard work on show.”
William Derby, chief executive and clerk of the course, said: “I’m really looking forward to welcoming racegoers to the Sky Bet Ebor Festival to enjoy this improved space.
“The transformation of this area in just nine months has been phenomenal, it is a tribute to the vision of the York race committee, as well as to the hard work of our amazing design, build and internal teams.
“We hope it will be enjoyed by generations of racegoers to come.
“I am most proud that we have stayed true to our environmental principles, so I am confident in saying this is the most sustainable development on a racecourse to date, in keeping with our Green Knavesmire 300 commitment.”
