Southwell Racecourse welcomes the public without any restrictions

After Storm Babet inundated the United Kingdom, Southwell Racecourse in Nottinghamshire, England, experienced significant flooding and damage. The venue, which initially reopened with limited capacity, is now set to resume full operations following a complete refurbishment. The official reopening is scheduled for August 2, 2024.

A Year of Recovery

The racecourse suffered extensive damage in October 2023 when Storm Babet caused severe flooding, submerging parts of the venue and necessitating major repairs. Although Southwell Racecourse reopened about a month later, it could only operate at limited capacity while repair work continued. For instance, the venue accommodated just around 100 spectators for the £100,000 BETUK Winter Derby on February 24, 2024.

With the refurbishment now complete, Southwell Racecourse will welcome the public without any restrictions on attendance. This marks a significant milestone for the venue, which has been eagerly preparing to return to full capacity.

Looking Forward

Mark Clayton, Executive Director of Southwell Racecourse, expressed his gratitude and excitement for the reopening. “I want to extend my thanks to all our staff for their hard work and dedication during this challenging period. We also appreciate the patience of our racegoers and are excited to offer an exceptional customer experience in the coming weeks,” Clayton said.

The initial repair efforts prioritised the track, stable yard, and a temporary weighing room to ensure that racing could resume. Since its partial reopening on November 24, 2023, Southwell has successfully hosted around 47 meetings, even with reduced capacity.

Clayton also noted that while the Southwell Golf Course remained open throughout much of the recovery, the clubhouse had been closed due to flood damage. Repair work on the clubhouse is nearing completion, with a planned reopening on August 10, 2024.