SBC News Voice of the Sports Betting Industry
The management of Ascot Racecourse (Berkshire), is set to impose new measures on alcohol consumption during its marquee Royal Ascot event (19-23 June), in a bid to crackdown on violent incidents during the racing festival.
Royal Ascot racegoers may be breathalysed by stewards and refused admission to the festival as part of the crackdown.
Ascot management details that it wants to eliminate the violent brawls which caught national headlines during the 2016 and 2017 festivals.
Seeking to ‘pre-empt incidents arising from excess alcohol consumption’, Ascot management has discontinued the sale of ‘beer hawkers’.
Furthermore, Royal Ascot 2018 will have a visibly increased security presence, with sniffer dogs monitoring racegoers and the placement of drug amnesty boxes.
Commenting on the measures Ascot Racecourse Chief Executive Guy Henderson stated; “The use of illegal drugs and their contribution to anti-social behaviour is a significant issue for all major events,”
“This year we will continue proactively to address these challenges with an increased specialist security team, supported by more visible stewarding around bar and other areas in order to pre-empt incidents arising from excess alcohol consumption or other anti-social behaviour.”
