The Updated Newmarket July Course

 

The July Course at Newmarket is one of Britain's most loved and quaintly charming race courses. It is one that you would be loath to change with its pre-parade ring, bars and restaurants all set in trees behind a 1930s grandstand.

But the powers that be have updated it for 2007.


Note the extended restaurant and the larger courtyard for spectators. The former improvement was sorely needed as the previous one was far too small.


Here one of the new bars, with two restaurants, is shown on the right.

So is it better?

At a first view, I would give it a resounding yes, as there seems to be so much more space. Some may lament the disappearance of a few trees, but others have been planted to replace them.

We also liked the fact that the Annual Members bar had been rearranged and the food was so much better with a proper salad bar. (The latter is important for me, as I'm a coeliac and can't eat sandwiches and I don't trust most mass catering offerings.)

So I suspect those that feel racing should be reserved for a couple of hundred aficionados will write letters of protest to the Racing Post and the Telegraph, but I for one will be giving a well done to all who have improved our much-loved course.