Newbury scraps silver ring...
- Thread starter SteveM
- Start date
trudij
Senior Jockey
Do they still have that poor woman who has to stand by the gate and lecture anyone who comes in wearing jeans?? She was really rude to me one day (mind you,she got the same back!!) when I was in smart black jeans - wouldn't have minded if they were ripped or really faded!!!
Have to feel a bit sorry for her though, horrible job, don't know that anyone was nice to her!!!
Have to feel a bit sorry for her though, horrible job, don't know that anyone was nice to her!!!
Lingfield tried the 'no denim' policy a few years ago - utterly pointless when a mature woman owner arrived to see her horse run. She was petite and very well groomed - and wearing a clearly expensive, smartly-tailored denim trouser suit. We radioed through to the office that there would be an exception to the rule, obviously, and the daft policy was disbanded on the spot.
On the other hand, we had a couple of builders pay to come racing at Brighton one day, direct from the site - totally filthy, covered in gobs of plaster, dust, and with blackened hands, scuffed and torn shirts and shorts. Why the heck the sales operator sold them the badges, God knows, but they were told they'd be confined to the cheap enclosure due to their yukky appearance. In all honesty, you wouldn't have wanted to have sat on a chair they'd been on, and it does show that some sort of rules are necessary, unless you don't mind filthy people jostling you at the bar or on the stands.
Does Newbury say why it's disbanding the Silver Ring? It feels it's too posh now, or there wasn't enough take-up by racegoers to make it worthwhile?
On the other hand, we had a couple of builders pay to come racing at Brighton one day, direct from the site - totally filthy, covered in gobs of plaster, dust, and with blackened hands, scuffed and torn shirts and shorts. Why the heck the sales operator sold them the badges, God knows, but they were told they'd be confined to the cheap enclosure due to their yukky appearance. In all honesty, you wouldn't have wanted to have sat on a chair they'd been on, and it does show that some sort of rules are necessary, unless you don't mind filthy people jostling you at the bar or on the stands.
Does Newbury say why it's disbanding the Silver Ring? It feels it's too posh now, or there wasn't enough take-up by racegoers to make it worthwhile?
I was there for the reasonably good card they had the day before the Lockinge a few years ago.My brother had just flown in from Ireland and we were in a mad rush to get to the races.Both of us were reasonably well dressed but neither of us had any intention of wearing a tie.
It was a fairly quiet day but plenty of people were being turned away from members.
Does rubbish like this happen in any other country.
It was a fairly quiet day but plenty of people were being turned away from members.
Does rubbish like this happen in any other country.
Newmarkets the same. When I go to see my horse run I wear jeans just to p!ss people off. Having said that i've never been stopped when i've been going as an owner but that has been to NH tracks where I don't think there is quite the stiff upper lip of some of the flat tracks.
On The Bridle
At the Start
Had a runner in York two years ago and four of us went over. No mention on the race-course bumf they sent us about a dress code. One female security officer spent the whole day chasing us around trying to kick us out for having no tie despite getting the race-course manager to give us a "special dispensation". It was about 29 degrees the same day. A complete disgrace. Savage talent there though....
I think the 'smart casual' code's enough for anywhere - I really don't even see the problem with no tie in restaurants, provided folks aren't coming in in shorts (sweaty thighs on fabric seats - I think not!) or clearly in a grubby condition. As for Royal Ascot, if you're sponsored for the Royal Enclosure, then you know what you should wear, and I do think the people who go there enjoy a bit of dress-up and feeling special, just the same difference between a night at grand opera or a rock concert in a field. It's about keeping things appropriate to the setting - and the weather!
I personally have no wish to see beer-gutted blokes of any age in string vests or, worse, no vest at all, or with their bobbly bits hanging out of nasty polyester footie shorts. I really wouldn't want some sweaty, greasy body shoving past me on a hot day, male or female - so clothes on, but the fabric shouldn't really matter. Enough clothes today are made from viscose or polyester, which are cheaply mass-produced: at least denim is a natural fabric (cotton) and should be considered far more desirable.
I think behaviour is far more important, though, than the togs you've got on. You can be dressed to the nines and be a rude, arrogant prick, or in Primark's best and pleasant and polite. I know which I prefer.
I personally have no wish to see beer-gutted blokes of any age in string vests or, worse, no vest at all, or with their bobbly bits hanging out of nasty polyester footie shorts. I really wouldn't want some sweaty, greasy body shoving past me on a hot day, male or female - so clothes on, but the fabric shouldn't really matter. Enough clothes today are made from viscose or polyester, which are cheaply mass-produced: at least denim is a natural fabric (cotton) and should be considered far more desirable.
I think behaviour is far more important, though, than the togs you've got on. You can be dressed to the nines and be a rude, arrogant prick, or in Primark's best and pleasant and polite. I know which I prefer.
Soary Stars
At the Start
- Joined
- Jun 7, 2011
- Messages
- 648
Spot on, Krizon.
B
Bruce_Savage
Guest
I think men & women should dress up smartly when going to the races, it looks really nice and you all feel together on a great day out.
Spot on Kri.
Cheers, Aragorn - apart from half-nekkid or truly befouled types, how people clothe themselves at the races doesn't worry me at all. I have no feelings about hats, ties, halter-neck dresses (some guys look really good in these), trainers vs brogues, tee-shirts (provided no rude messages or grime) vs shirts. I want people, more than anything else, TO COME RACING! I want them to receive a cheerful, helpful welcome, to be given a good range of food and drink options, clean lavatories, pretty surroundings, and only as many rules as make sense for the welfare and comfort of others.
Why can't I win the sodding Euromillions and build a course which people would really love attending????? :lol:
Why can't I win the sodding Euromillions and build a course which people would really love attending????? :lol:
I think men and women should have the choice, as long as their attire isn't actually offensive (as defined by Kri - sweaty flesh, grime that would rub off on others or rude slogans on clothing). If you want to dress up and make an 'event' of it - great. If you want to rock up in jeans and a t-shirt after a spur-of-the-moment decision to go racing - that's great too.
If you're put off from going racing because of a bad experience with a stuffy jobsworth dress-codist, or because you'd like to go but can't afford to buy the posh outfit you feel is compulsory - that's very definitely NOT great.
That's so what I think should be in place, Cruella - a choice, like what you decide to eat or drink on course. It's like providing only an expensive restaurant and no burger or seafood options, or champers and no Carling. I want to see racing become fully egalitarian and given that real dress-up today seems reserved for only truly grand occasions, it's silly to place what is an outdoor activity, often with the pong of fresh dung mingling with the Chanel, on a level with Oscars night or the opening of Parliament!
You're exactly right there about folks wanting to just zip in spontaneously - quite a lot of visitors I've spoken with said they decided on the spur of the moment, seeing racing was on when they drove past the track. Now, they might've been coming back from the garden centre, and in clean but far from fashionable gear. Who the heck cares? They're enthused enough to buy a ticket - come on in and have a great time!
I'm going to shamelessly, in fact, very proudly, promote a course which is receiving lots of emails from visiting owners and racegoers alike - Plumpton. Its regulars always say it's a friendly little gaff (country) course, and yes, it sure is. It doesn't rip people off with pricing (race cards are included in the entry fee), all the staff are helpful, its own management doesn't dress up like the Queen of Tonga for the day, and the Clerk of the Course, Mark Cornford, and the General Manager, Claire Sheppard, are walking around publicly all day, asking folks how they're enjoying things and noting any suggestions for improvements.
That, to my mind, is how managing a course should be. We had a previous manager at another course who wouldn't even come out of his office on the racedays, and actually said "Oh, no, I don't want to meet anybody!" That distancing from one's income stream soon translates through to the staff, and pretty soon no-one was to be seen on a raceday, and only available with great difficulty. That's just crap - racing is entertainment, first and foremost, like a cinema, bowling alley, pop concert or a quiz night down the pub. Yes, there's the huge betting medium attached, but I view that as separate from the spread of options which should be available to attendees - one of which is to meet with managers if you so desire. I don't expect to go to a cinema and be told I can't come in because I'm over-dressed, I don't expect to go bowling and be told that my denim jacket is objectionable - so why should managers of racecourses try to dictate false dress codes to what are, after all, the people paying their salaries? People get pissed off, they don't come back. Gate takes go down, managers get fired. Brain surgery it ain't.
You're exactly right there about folks wanting to just zip in spontaneously - quite a lot of visitors I've spoken with said they decided on the spur of the moment, seeing racing was on when they drove past the track. Now, they might've been coming back from the garden centre, and in clean but far from fashionable gear. Who the heck cares? They're enthused enough to buy a ticket - come on in and have a great time!
I'm going to shamelessly, in fact, very proudly, promote a course which is receiving lots of emails from visiting owners and racegoers alike - Plumpton. Its regulars always say it's a friendly little gaff (country) course, and yes, it sure is. It doesn't rip people off with pricing (race cards are included in the entry fee), all the staff are helpful, its own management doesn't dress up like the Queen of Tonga for the day, and the Clerk of the Course, Mark Cornford, and the General Manager, Claire Sheppard, are walking around publicly all day, asking folks how they're enjoying things and noting any suggestions for improvements.
That, to my mind, is how managing a course should be. We had a previous manager at another course who wouldn't even come out of his office on the racedays, and actually said "Oh, no, I don't want to meet anybody!" That distancing from one's income stream soon translates through to the staff, and pretty soon no-one was to be seen on a raceday, and only available with great difficulty. That's just crap - racing is entertainment, first and foremost, like a cinema, bowling alley, pop concert or a quiz night down the pub. Yes, there's the huge betting medium attached, but I view that as separate from the spread of options which should be available to attendees - one of which is to meet with managers if you so desire. I don't expect to go to a cinema and be told I can't come in because I'm over-dressed, I don't expect to go bowling and be told that my denim jacket is objectionable - so why should managers of racecourses try to dictate false dress codes to what are, after all, the people paying their salaries? People get pissed off, they don't come back. Gate takes go down, managers get fired. Brain surgery it ain't.
Newbury doesn't have a strict dress code these days. No jacket or tie required and jeans acceptable. I've cut and pasted directly from their website below; seems reasonable and I've seen much worse on racedays.
What should I wear?
If you’d like to dress smart and enjoy a real sense of occasion, the Premier Enclosure is the place to be. Smart denim* is acceptable but no sportswear, trainers or bare tops here please. Long shorts in the summer are fine.
The Grandstand Enclosure is more relaxed although many people like to dress up on our Saturday fixtures. Denim and shorts are fine but no bare tops or sports/supporters shirts.
*Smart denim must not have tears or rips.
What should I wear?
If you’d like to dress smart and enjoy a real sense of occasion, the Premier Enclosure is the place to be. Smart denim* is acceptable but no sportswear, trainers or bare tops here please. Long shorts in the summer are fine.
The Grandstand Enclosure is more relaxed although many people like to dress up on our Saturday fixtures. Denim and shorts are fine but no bare tops or sports/supporters shirts.
*Smart denim must not have tears or rips.
Seems they've given up on paying for raceday stewards to do a thankless job! Good sense there since Luke visited, apparently. Even Brighton signs "No football shirts" and that's not out of snobbery, but to avoid beer-sodden post-racing punch-ups between opposing supporters!
trudij
Senior Jockey
Oh thank goodness common sense has finally prevailed - when I got my earful I had looked for ages on the website to see what I was meant to wear - and there was nothing (hence I thought I was safe!) I even text Shads to see if she knew if there was a code at all.... but nope.
glad they are sorted now though !!
Gamla Stan
At the Start
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- Aug 19, 2005
- Messages
- 4,337
Goodwood and Thirsk have the most ridiculous dress codes especially the latter, it thinks it's bloody Royal Ascot, it's a shit tip in the middle of Yorkshire.
Sandown and seemingly now Newbury have the most sensible ones.
What puts me off about Newbury is that you aren't allowed drinks infront of the grandstand (well you couldn't 18 months ago). There's nothing wrong with a few friends sharing a jug of pimms on the lawn on a Summer's afternoon or evening, it's part and parcel of going racing in the Summer in fact!
Sandown and seemingly now Newbury have the most sensible ones.
What puts me off about Newbury is that you aren't allowed drinks infront of the grandstand (well you couldn't 18 months ago). There's nothing wrong with a few friends sharing a jug of pimms on the lawn on a Summer's afternoon or evening, it's part and parcel of going racing in the Summer in fact!
Many courses won't allow glass outside, or even on balconies (we had a gateman nearly beaned by some twatface chucking his empty bottle off one at Lingfield some while ago) - this is because a lot of people just can't keep a grip and glass gets shattered on the ground. So the barmen will usually change a real glass for a plastic one, including Pimms' jugs, etc., so that al fresco imbibing can continue.
Surely it is a bit far for Krizon ?
Joking apart - smart casual is much the most sensible code . Thirsk is a joke.
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Simon
At the Start
- Joined
- Dec 17, 2007
- Messages
- 1,314
I've been going racing since I was 10 and have never been to a racecourse, whether it's Lingfield Park, Cheltenham, Newmarket or Sedgefield, without wearing a suit and tie. The only time anything changes is at Royal Ascot. I can't imagine ever seeing Paul Nicholls or Nicky Henderson not wearing a suit. I can understand why people don't want to get dressed up for gaff tracks, but I think people should be smarter at the bigger meetings. When you have Mark Bradstock going up to collect his Hennessy trophy dressed as a stableboy in royal blue waterproofs you think sort it out you scruffy sod.
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But you're not personally tacking-up, inspecting hooves, possibly driving the horsebox as well, Simon. Smaller trainers will often be doing the lot, bar lead up, and you can hardly expect them to look like Savile Row if they've been up since 4.30 a.m. in freezing cold/pouring rain, loading the animals, driving three or four hours, offloading, and then hanging about all day for the race. Meanwhile, you can swan in at any time you like and go to your warm, dry hospitality box and start lashing into the Buck's Fizz...