Supplier News

UK – Betfred’s bid for Chelmsford racino gets council support

By Phil - 11 January 2017

Chelmsford City racecourse has been given the green light by Chelmsford City Council to open a casino in its new five-floor grandstand building.

Betfred, the racecourse’s majority stakeholder, has revealed the casino will occupy one floor of around 3,000 square metres. Ten open air concerts have also been approved.

The council’s Director of Sustainable Communities, David Green, said: “Given the planning history and also the remoteness of the building from residential properties, there is no sound planning reason to limit the hours of use of the casino. Whilst it is recognised that casinos by their nature tend to operate late into the night, the number of visitors to the site during unsociable hours is not likely to be high.”

The project will need to secure a casino licence from the British Gambling Commission. Once completed it will see Chelmsford become the first racino in the UK and the first racecourse in Europe to offer floodlit racing on turf.

Joe Scanlon, racecourse Chairman, said: “This is fantastic news. Over the course of the last few years the leading casinos across the world have been changing into multi-purpose complexes offering a full range of facilities to complement their gambling options. Here at Chelmsford we will be the first to offer a fully integrated racecourse ‘resort’ or leisure destination with entertainment.The grandstand project is as exciting now as it was when first envisaged and has not dated in that time. The racegoers on the upper floors of the grandstand will have uninterrupted viewing of both tracks, being able to look over the top of the existing low level hospitality stand. Development can now take place without disrupting Chelmsford City Racecourse’s existing busy racing schedule.”

Managing Director Phil Siers added: “A leading development like this can only lead to bigger and better support for our racetrack. We look forward to the day we are offering a minimum prize fund of £100,000 per meeting and regular turf and all-weather racing.”
Construction work on the new grandstand is expected to start next year.