The horse racing organizations in the United Kingdom have proposed a recovery plan for the British racing industry that it hopes will restore the lost revenue and horse racing activities that were seriously diminished by the pandemic lockdown.
The British Horse Racing Authority, the Racecourse Association and The Horsemen’s Group have submitted a “Recovery Plan for British Racing” which augments the initial recovery plan put out in March 2020 when the pandemic started.
The British Horse Racing Authority stated the new plan puts more focus on “retaining owners and key investors” and bringing consumers back to the stands when the public starts returning to racecourses. It is expected that the return of spectators in “significant numbers” will be a “key priority” and crucial for the restoration of “economic prosperity” of horse racing for the next year and after. “This plan brings together all the necessary components in one clear action plan with some ambitious goals.”
Nick Rust, The British Horse Racing Authority’s Chief Executive Officer commented on the new plan, ‘It’s very important that this plan has been agreed by leaders from all parts of the racing industry. We know from the way we prepared to resume racing in June that working together works. The commitment shown by leaders in signing up to this recovery plan demonstrates a continued willingness to maintain a unified approach through the tough battles ahead’.
Adding to the comments David Armstrong, Chief Executive for the Racecourse Association, said, “The whole industry worked very well to enable racing to return as the first major sport behind closed doors. Now we have to renew that collaboration as we enter this Recovery Phase and move beyond that into 2021. This plan brings together all the necessary components in one clear action plan with some ambitious goals. From a racecourse perspective the return of race goers and the experience for owners are clear priorities that are already underway and we look forward to the wider recovery of the sport”
